Carly Perry and the Boy Who Lived
by Brunette Beauty 1
Summary: Carly discovers she is a witch when she is invited to attend school at Hogwarts of Witchcraft and Wizardry. Contains some passages from J.K. Rowling's book. What happens when Carly meets a young boy with black hair and the scar of a lightning bolt?
1. The Letter from Hogwarts

13

The Letter from Hogwarts

Chapter 1

............

I didn't know I was a witch. I guess it was just something my parents had decided to hide from me my whole life. Austin wasn't a wizard, or else he would have received his letter three years ago.

_HOGWARTS SCHOOL _

_of Witchcraft and Wizardry_

_Headmaster: Albus Dumbledore_

_(Order of Merlin, First Class, Grand Sorc., Chf. Warlock, Supreme Mugwump, International Confed. of Wizards) _

_Dear Miss Perry,_

_We are pleased to inform you that you have been accepted at Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry. Please find enclosed a list of all necessary books and equipment. _

_Term begins on September 1__st__. We await your owl by no later than July 31__st__._

_Yours sincerely,_

_Minerva McGonagall_

Minerva McGonagall,

_Deputy Headmistress_

"Mom," I said to my mother in the living room of our apartment in New York City, USA.

"Yeah, honey?" Mom said, doing house work.

"I got a letter from Hogwarts," I explained, handing her the letter. She smiled when she read it. Then she gestured for me to sit next to her on the couch.

"Yes, honey," she said. "You are a witch. Your father was a wizard, and you inherited it from him. Your brother Austin somehow didn't inherit it, and so he is all human."

"So, you're gonna send me to Hogwarts for sixth grade?" I asked.

"Well, let's think about it," Mom said with a deep breath. "Hogwarts is all the way over in England. It'll be a big change for you; being so faraway from home."

I took a moment to think this over. It was kind of shocking to hear that I was a witch and that I was going to be going to a different country to go to a school that I would be going to for seven years. Did I _want_ to?

"I think I want to go," I said, letting the words slip out of my mouth. I tucked a strand of my golden blond hair behind my ear nervously. I always did this when I was nervous. My bangs were so long anyway, that they were always getting in my face.

"Okay," Mom said smiling kindly. "I'm gonna ask your father how to do that sending-the-owl thingy. He went to Hogwarts growing up, so he'd obviously know a lot more about it than I do. Maybe he'll talk to you about the school while you're out buying your supplies soon."

"Okay," I said nodding.

Mom stood up and left the room. I heard her talking to Dad in the next room. I didn't hear what they were saying, but I could hear the tones of their voices. Dad sounded excited. He took the news very well.

After a few minutes my older brother Austin walked up to me with a teasing smile on his face. "Haha, you have to go to Hogwarts," he laughed. I could tell from the look in his eyes that he was jealous.

"Yeah, that's _right,_ Austin," I said with a proud grin.

He could tell I knew he was jealous, so he frowned and walked away.

Then Dad walked into the room. He had a bright smile on his face. "Hey, Carly," he said. "What do you say to go shopping for some school supplies at Diagon Alley?"

"Diagon Alley?" I repeated curiously.

"It's in London," Dad said, noticing the surprised look on my face. "But I know a spell that can get us there right away. I'll send your owl to Hogwarts tonight."

"Um, okay," I said. "Are we going _now?"_

"Yeah," he replied. "We're going now."

We left the apartment and took a walk over toward an old hotel where there was a fireplace in the lobby. Dad handed me a small object that looked like a piece of coal.

"It's called Floo powder. Now," he said. "All you have to do is close your eyes and say very clearly, Diagon Alley."

I squeezed the small object tight. "Diagon Alley!"

I suddenly felt like I was being jolted around. I screamed. I opened my eyes and saw that I was now on a road filled with busy people and shops. There were a bunch of children about my age, excitedly entering the stores.

Two seconds later my dad showed up next to me. I got startled when he appeared so I jumped. "Sorry," he said.

"No, it's not your fault," I assured him.

"Okay, then, let's take a look at that supply list, shall we?" Dad said, putting his hand on my back. I handed him the supply list.

"Hey, Stanley," said a guy passing by us.

"Hi," Dad said in response. He had a confused look on his face. "He must have been someone from Hogwarts, but I don't recognize him. It's not Sirius Black or Remus Lupin, for sure. It can't be James Potter or Peter Pettigrew. They both died years ago. And plus, I would know Peter Pettigrew if I saw him, and that's definitely not him."

"Who are _they,_ Dad?" I asked curiously.

"They were some of my friends from Hogwarts," Dad replied.

"How did Potter and Pettigrew die?" I asked.

Dad looked uneasy. "Well, we don't speak of that."

I gave him a look. He ignored it. "Alright, then," he said. "Let's take a look at this."

_HOGWARTS SCHOOL _

_of Witchcraft and Wizardry_

_Uniform_

_First-year students will require:_

_Three sets of plain robes (black)_

_One plain pointed hat (black) for day wear_

_One pair of protective gloves (dragon hide or similar)_

_One winter cloak (black, silver fastenings)_

_Please note that all pupils' clothes should carry name tags._

_Course Books_

All students should have a copy of each of the following

_The Standard Book of Spells (Grade 1) _by Miranda Goshawk

_A History of Magic _by Bathilda Bagshot

_Magical Theory _by Adalbert Waffling

_A Beginners Guide to Transfiguration _by Emeric Switch

_One Thousand Magical Herbs and Fungi _by Phyllida Spore

_Magical Drafts and Potions _by Arsenius Jigger

_Fantastic Creatures and Where to Find Them _by Newt Scamander

_The Dark Forces: A Guide to Self Protection _by Quentin Trimble

_Other Equipment_

_1 wand_

_1 cauldron_

_1 set glass or crystal phials_

_1 telescope_

_1 set brass scales_

Students may also bring an owl OR a cat OR a toad

PARENTS ARE REMINDED THAT FIRST YEARS ARE NOT ALLOWED THEIR OWN BROOMSTICKS

"So, do you want an owl, a cat, or a toad?" Dad asked me.

"An owl, definitely," I replied.

Cats kinda made me nervous, and I just didn't like toads. An owl would be perfect. So Dad and I walked into a store and bought a brown owl. I named him Bush. I couldn't think of any other name to give him. I set his cage up on the shopping cart I was pushing. After buying Bush we bought some school books and supplies.

We walked over to Madam Malkin's Robes for All Occasions'. Dad smiled at me and pat me on the back. "Why don't you go pick out your robe?"

I nodded at him and walked over to the Hogwarts robes. There were two boys being fit up at the moment. The first one was a boy with a pale, pointed face and white blond hair. The second one was small with untidy black hair and green eyes that were covered by glasses.

"My father's next door buying my books and mother's up the street looking at wands," the blond boy said to the boy with the glasses. "Then I'm going to drag them off to look at racing brooms. I don't know why first years can't have their own. I think I'll bully father into getting me one and I'll smuggle it in somehow. Have _you_ got your own broom?"

"No," said the second boy.

"Play Quidditch at all?"

"No."

"_I_ do- Father says it's a crime if I'm not picked to play for my house, and I must say, I agree. Know what house you'll be in yet?"

"No."

"Well, no one really knows until they get there, do they, but I know I'll be in Slytherin, all our family have been- imagine being in Hufflepuff, I think I'd leave, wouldn't you?"

"Hmm," the second boy said, uninterested.

"Hi!" I said in a friendly tone of voice, interrupting their conversation. They looked up at me. "Hi, my name is Carly Perry. I see you guys are going to Hogwarts. Me too!"

The blond boy scowled. "Carly Perry?" he repeated. "I know who you are: the golden blond hair, hazel-green eyes, tan skin, American accent. Your father's muggle-born, wasn't he?"

"What's that?" I asked. "Muggle?"

"Non-magic," the blond boy clarified.

I laughed. "No, not at all. My father's a wizard."

"I know that," the blond boy said, not at all humored. "I _know _your father's a wizard, but my father told me your father was born a muggle. In other words, he didn't have magic parents."

"Well, I don't really know whether Grandma and Grandpa are magic, but-"

"Don't worry," the blond boy sneered. "My father knows _everything_ about _everyone_. He'd be more than willing to give you any information on your family."

As creepy as that sounded, it also sounded kinda friendly. I smiled excitedly. "Thank you!" I said.

The boy looked amused, as if I was missing the point. "No problem," he said in response. The boy with the dark hair and the glasses smiled sympathetically at me. The blond boy stared at me, as if waiting for me to leave.

"I think I've found the robe I want," I said, grabbing a robe. "Bye, guys." I walked away with it and waved back.

"See you at Hogwarts, _Perry,"_ the blond boy said after me. He put a big emphasis on my last name.

I skipped over to my dad and showed him the robe. "I want _these_ kinds of robes. I need two more, right?"

"Yes, I think that's right," Dad said nodding. "You go get the two others."

I nodded and skipped back over toward the rack where the boys were standing.

"That's Hagrid," the boy with the glasses was saying to the blond boy. "He works at Hogwarts."

I turned around and saw a friendly looking giant standing outside the store window with a fuzzy beard and a big grin on his face. He was holding two large ice creams.

"Oh," said the blond boy. "I've heard of him. He's sort of a servant, isn't he?"

"He's the gamekeeper," the boy with the glasses said.

"Wait," the blond boy said in a hushed tone.

I looked up and noticed he was glaring at me. I smiled back at him. The boy with the glasses glanced at me for a moment and then returned his glance to the blond boy. I grabbed two more robes and gave them to my father. He set them upon the cashier register, and had them paid for.

Dad smiled and then we left the store. He stopped at the entrance. "Rubeus Hagrid!" he said with a smile. "I haven't seen you in a long time."

"Stanley!" the giant said smiling. "Yeah, it's been a while, hasn't it?"

"This is my daughter Carly," Dad said, referring to me.

"How are yeh doin'?" Hagrid asked me.

"Good," I replied. "So you're the game keeper?"

"Yeah, that's right," Hagrid said. "So, are yeh excited about goin' to Hogwarts?"

"Yeah, I can't wait," I said enthusiastically. "I already met two students. Everyone seems so friendly."

"That's good," Hagrid said. "Now I don't want for yeh to take this the wrong way or anythin', but I can't stop to chit-chat right now. I gotta finish these ice creams here, or I'm never gonna be allowed in that store."

"No, that's perfectly fine," Dad said understandingly. "We're gonna be going now to shop for Carly's wand."

Hagrid smiled. "Ah, wand shopping."

"Yeah, and it was nice to see you again, Rubeus," Dad said as he and I started off.

"Yeh too," Hagrid said in agreement.

"Bye, Hagrid," I said. "See you at Hogwarts."

"Okay, here we are, Carly," Dad said two minutes later. "Ollivanders: the best place for getting wands. I got _my_ wand at Ollivanders too."

I felt nervous. I'd never seen a magic wand before, and I didn't know what to do with it once I got it.

We entered the wand store. Inside was a ton of boxes piled up to the ceiling on every square inch of the room. Dad and I stepped in line to buy our wands. We stood behind a blond woman dressed in very fancy clothes. Once she was handed a wand she turned around and smirked at Dad.

"Stanley," she said arrogantly.

"Narcissa," Dad said in response. He looked uneasy.

The woman smirked and left the store.

"Hello," said Mr. Ollivanders. He was a very old man with wide, pale eyes. "Stanley Perry!"

"Good afternoon, Mr. Ollivanders," Dad said politely. "We're here today to buy a wand for my daughter Carly. She's going to be attending Hogwarts this year."

Mr. Ollivanders smiled warmly at me. "Congratulations to you, Miss Perry."

"Thank you," I said in response.

"A wand, huh?" Mr. Ollivanders said. "Let's see what I can do for you."

He began handing me several different kinds of wands and asking me to try them out. None of them were working for me until I tried a Maple and phoenix feather. "Grand, just grand," Mr. Ollivanders said. "I'm still a bit surprised the Mahogany didn't work for you. It worked very well for you, _didn't_ it, Stanley?"

"Yes, it did," Dad said nodding. "Thank you, Mr. Ollivanders. Have a good rest of your day."

"You too," Mr. Ollivanders said nodding.

Dad set my wand down on my shopping cart along with all my other supplies. He took a deep breath when we were out of the wand store. "So, what did you think of that, Carly?"

"I've never shopped so much in my _life,"_ I said out of breath.

Dad chuckled. "Don't worry. The hard work's over. Now all we have to think about is September 1st. I'm going to take you to King's Cross Station, and I'll help you find your train at Platform 9 and 3 Quarters."

"Platform 9 and 3 Quarters?" I repeated curiously.

Dad shrugged. "That's what it is," he chuckled.

"Oh," I said. "Okay."

...........

Disclaimer: I DO NOT OWN THESE CHARACTERS EXCEPT FOR MY OC AND HER FAMILY! EVERYTHING ELSE BELONGS TO J.K. ROWLING!

Author's Note: Alright, so let me give you a little background on Carly Perry. She is eleven years old with tan skin, golden blond hair, and hazel-green eyes. She lives in New York City with her mother, her father, and her fourteen year old brother Austin. Her mother and brother are both human, and her father was born into a human family, but is a wizard.

Carly is a very friendly, outgoing girl. Sometimes she seems a bit awkward, quirky, and even dorky. She grew up going to a human elementary school where she had two best friends, a girl with red hair and glasses named Nicole Smith and a girl with long brown hair named Jackie Howard. Carly has to say good bye to them when she starts school at Hogwarts: School of Witchcraft and Wizardry.

Okay, so obviously Carly is going to Hogwarts the same year as Harry Potter, so there will be a few scenes in the upcoming chapters from J.K. Rowling's amazing novel _Harry Potter and the Sorcerer's Stone_. This fanfic is fan made and not for profit. All the rights, of course, except for my OC and her back story, belong to her. She is a brilliant writer.

So let's talk about what's happened in the story so far.

Carly has just found out she was a witch. That is a big change in her life. And right after that she goes shopping with her father at Diagon Alley for her Hogwarts supplies. While she is there she meets two nameless boys. One of them seems rather nice but shy, and the other one seems rather unapproachable. Carly knows this about him, but being the optimistic person that she is, she wants to think the best of him, and think that he just had an off day. She doesn't even wonder whether or not he will be a problem at Hogwarts. (All you big HP fans will automatically know who the boys are.)

How do you think Carly's first year at Hogwarts is going to be? How do you think her train ride is going to be? I'll update soon so you can find out.

Please R&R! But be nice! I'm very sensitive. 


	2. Journey from Platform 9 and 3 Quarters

26

The Journey from Platform 9 and 3 Quarters

Chapter 2

............

I woke up completely excited on the morning of September 1st.

"Dad, it's time to go to King's Cross Station!" I told my father.

"Alright, Carly," Dad said smiling. "Austin, you wanna come down to the station too? I'm sure you want to see King's Cross Station."

"Sure, I guess it wouldn't be a _total_ waste of time," Austin said with a shrug. He tried to make it sound like he wasn't really interested, but from the look on his face I could tell he was excited to see the place.

"Wait!" Mom gasped before we headed back to that hotel with the fireplace that was good for transporting to London. She ran up to me and gave me a big hug. "I'm not going to be able to get used to this," she sobbed. "You're going to be faraway for so long. I've never had you out of the country to go to school before."

"It's alright, Mom," I assured her. "I'll come back for Christmas and then the whole summer."

Mom smiled and nodded. "Good," she said. "I can't wait."

"Get a hold of yourself, Mom," Austin said, patting his mother on the shoulder. Then he, Dad, and I left the apartment and went back over to that hotel with the fireplace.

"Now," Dad began, after handing me another small piece of Floo powder and keeping one for himself. "Austin, you're not a wizard so you're going to have to stand right next to me when I say the words, King's Cross Station, now, are we clear?"

"Sure," Austin said with a shrug.

"Alright," Dad said. "So we're going to go first. Carly, you watch and listen, okay?"

"Okay," I said nodding.

Dad nodded and put his hand on Austin's shoulder. They walked inside the old, empty fireplace, closed their eyes, and both said at the same time, "King's Cross Station."

Then they disappeared!

I did exactly as they did and then appeared in a beautiful train station next to my father and my brother. "Wow," I said aloud in awe. "Dad, let's go look for Platform 9 and 3 Quarters."

"Platform 9 and 3 Quarters?" Austin repeated with a snort.

"That's what it's called," Dad explained to him. Then he looked up at me. "Alright, this way," he said putting his hand on my back. The three of us walked over to Platform 9. The next sign said Platform 10 on it. This confused me greatly. "Don't panic," Dad told me. "Watch them."

There was a family in front of us with a few kids, that like me, were pushing carts with pets and supplies on them. They all charged toward the barrier between the two platforms. I closed my eyes, worried they were going to crash into the wall. But there was no crash. I opened my eyes and saw that the kids had disappeared. I looked up at Dad. He smiled at me.

He walked me over to the barrier. "You might want to run," he told me. "Then you go so fast you don't even worry about crashing."

I took a deep breath and then gave both my father and my brother a hug. I knew Dad would have liked to see Hogwarts Express again, but wouldn't be able to because he'd have to stay with Austin, who was non-magic, which meant he wouldn't be able to see the train at all.

"Bye, Dad. Bye, Austin," I told them, waving. They waved back.

Then I closed my eyes and ran into the barrier.

I sighed with relief when I opened my eyes and realized I hadn't crashed. Bush, my owl, opened his eyes and shook his head gruffly as if I'd waken him. I was now in Platform 9 and 3 Quarters. I looked around.

There was a scarlet steam engine waiting next to a platform packed with people. A sign overhead said Hogwarts Express, eleven o'clock on it. Smoke from the engine drifted over the heads of chattering crowd. There were owls, cats, and toads everywhere staring at each other.

I pushed my cart into the train. I pushed it through the first few carriages that were packed, noticing there weren't many seats left in the area. I noticed a boy with a round face crawling on the ground. He seemed to be searching for something. Some students were laughing at him. I knelt down beside him and tapped him on the shoulder.

"If you don't mind my asking," I began. "What are you looking for?"

"I'm looking for my toad Trevor," the boy wailed, looking up at me. There were tons of tears falling down his red face. "I've looked _everywhere_ and I still cannot find him."

The students who'd been laughing cackled even louder.

I stood up and turned around to face them. "What's so funny?" I wanted to know.

"It's not funny," said a girl with dark hair and pug-like features, glaring at me. "It's just _annoying_. He keeps crawling under our feet and whining over some stupid toad. We're laughing out of annoyance."

"Well, if you think it's so darn annoying then why don't you help him look for the toad?" I asked curiously. "He'd certainly find him sooner with some help, and then he'd stop crawling under your feet, you know."

The boy looked at me in shock, as if no one ever stood up for him before.

"My thoughts exactly," said a young girl's voice.

I turned around and saw a girl standing behind me with lots of bushy brown hair and rather large front teeth. She was already dressed in her Hogwarts robe. She nodded appreciatively at me.

"Just so you know, I've already been helping Neville look for his toad, but haven't had any luck at finding him yet," the girl told me. "I'm glad someone else is willing to join the search. Follow me. We're going to search the other carriages. Care to come along, Neville?"

"I might search on my own, thank you," sniffed the round faced boy.

"Very well," said the girl with the bushy brown hair. She looked at me and squinted her eyes impatiently. "Well, aren't you coming?"

"Yes," I said nodding. I followed her into the hall of the train and we walked into the first nearby carriage. "My name's Hermione Granger, by the way," she said as she bent down to look under a bench someone was sitting on.

"My name's Carly Perry," I said. "I'm from America."

"America?" Hermione repeated, interested. "I didn't know Americans were also accepted into Hogwarts. I don't mean any offense, mind you, I'm just a bit surprised."

"Yeah," I chuckled. "Don't worry. I didn't think so _either_ at first."

"So how long have you known you were a witch?" she asked.

"Not too long at all," I replied. "I just figured it out in middle July. Apparently my dad's a wizard, but he never told me until then, so I received the letter from Hogwarts out of nowhere. My mother and brother are both human."

"Ah, so you're half-blooded," Hermione said in a matter-of-fact tone of voice. "Both of my parents are muggles. I was worried when I got my letter that I'd be worst in class since I have two non-magic parents. That's why I've been researching magic like _mad _all summer."

"I see," I said nodding. This got me frustrated. Why didn't _I_ think of researching magic for the rest of the summer when I found out I was a witch? Now _I _was going to be worst in class.

"Excuse me, can you please move your feet?" Hermione asked a tall, thin black boy. "I'm sorry, but I'm looking for a toad."

The boy rolled his eyes and reluctantly lifted his feet so Hermione could search for Neville's toad. When Hermione was done looking in the area she stood up and shook her head exhaustedly. "No toad there."

"Let's keep looking," I told her. "He's gotta be around _somewhere."_

We walked back into the hall and started toward the back of the train. Neville was just leaving a compartment at the back. He still looked hopeless. We walked by him and entered the same compartment.

Excitement filled me when I saw a familiar face. It was the boy with the black hair, the green eyes, and the glasses from Madam Malkin's! He was sitting at the window seat of the compartment, across from a young boy with flaming red hair, and tons of freckles.

"Has anyone seen a toad?" Hermione asked the two boys in a bossy tone of voice. "Neville's lost one."

"We've already told him we haven't seen it," said the boy with the flaming red hair.

"Oh, are you doing magic?" Hermione asked, noticing the wand in the boy's hand. "Let's see it then."

She sat down beside him. The boy looked surprised.

"Er- all right."

While he showed her his new magic trick, I sat down beside the boy with the black hair and glasses. "Hi," I said excitedly to him. "Remember me? I was at Madam Malkin's!"

"Yes, I do," the boy said smiling. "How are you today?"

"I'm doing good," I replied. "I see you've met a new friend. Where's the other one?"

"Excuse me, _who?"_ the boy asked puzzled.

"The blond from Madam Malkin's," I said.

He laughed. "Oh, he wasn't my friend. I was just trying to be polite to him."

"Why do you say _that?"_ I asked with a frown.

"Well, he was a bit arrogant," the boy pointed out.

"Who are you?" Hermione asked both boys.

"I'm Ron Weasley," the redhead muttered.

"Harry Potter," the boy with the glasses said.

"Are you _really?"_ Hermione asked, looking fascinated. "I know all about you, of course- I got a few extra books for background reading, and you're in _Modern Magical History_ and _The Rise and Fall of the Dark Arts_ and _Great Wizarding Events of the Twentieth Century_."

"Am I?" Harry Potter asked, sounding dazed.

"Wait a second," I said. "You're famous?" I asked Harry.

"Apparently," Harry said modestly. "I just found out myself."

"You didn't know?" Hermione asked, a bit surprised.

"What rock have _you _been hiding under?" Ron Weasley asked me, giving me a confused look.

I gave him a look back. I didn't tolerate rudeness. "Well, I'm kinda new to this wizarding stuff," I told him. "I just figured out I was witch less than two months ago."

"Don't worry," Harry said with a kind smile. "You're not alone. I just found out I was a wizard too."

I smiled happily. "Then we have a lot in common, don't we?"

"I suppose so," said Harry nodding.

"Hey, do any of you know what house you'll be in?" Hermione asked all of us curiously. "I've been asking around, and I hope I'm in Gryffindor, it sounds by far the best; I hear Dumbledore himself was in it, but I suppose Ravenclaw wouldn't be too bad… anyway, Carly, we'd better go and look for Neville's toad. Oh, and you two had better change, you know, I expect we'll be there soon."

"Bye, Harry," I said before we left the apartment. "And Ron."

"Bye," Harry replied smiling. Ron stared at me.

"Goodness, Carly," Hermione said when we were in the hallway. "I didn't even notice you haven't changed into your robe yet. You'd better do that quickly. Like I said to those boys, we'll be there soon."

I nodded at her and we walked over to a closet at the back of the train. She guarded the doorway just in case anyone was to come and see me getting dressed into my robe. "Are you almost finished?" she asked me.

"Yes," I said, putting my golden blond hair up in a ponytail.

When I was done getting changed, Hermione and I started back to the compartment toward the front of the train, where all our stuff was. I hoped no one had messed with our stuff while we were walking around. As we walked through the hall, three boys rushed past us. Two of them were very large. One of them was the blond boy from Madam Malkin's!

"Hi!" I shouted at him, trying to get his attention.

"Oh, _you_ again," he growled, giving me one last dirty look.

"Come on, Draco! We've gotta see Potter!" one of the fat boys said as the blond turned away from me and caught up with his fat friends.

"What's gotten into _him?"_ I said, feeling a bit hurt inside.

"Oh, you know him?" Hermione asked.

"Yes," I said, walking a bit slower than before.

"I would ignore him," Hermione said. "You know boys."

I didn't understand. I liked it when people were kind and friendly to one another. I didn't like it when people were rude to others. It confused me. Rudeness was a quality I didn't possess, unless it was needed.

When Hermione and I got back to the compartment we noticed that the dark haired girl with the pug-like features and two other kids were messing with my owl.

"Pansy Parkinson!" Hermione snapped. "Stop that at once!"

The girl exchanged annoyed looks with the two other kids she was messing around with, and then the three of them backed away.

"Are you okay, Bush?" I asked my poor owl.

Of course the owl couldn't talk, but it seemed to nod back at me.

"Alright, now, where's this toad of Neville's?" Hermione asked in frustration. "I don't know about you, but I might give up."

"Me too," I agreed.

"Let's go back and check on Harry Potter and- Ronald," Hermione said. "You know, to see if they've changed into their robes yet. One thing I cannot stand is lazy boys."

"Haha, okay," I said. So we left the compartment and saw the blond boy and his large friends screaming, running through the hallway like madmen. "What… just happened?" I asked in shock.

"Hmm, I'm not sure," Hermione said. "I think they mentioned visiting Potter last time we passed them. I guess it's good we're going to see Harry and Ron again. Maybe we can ask them what happened."

I nodded in agreement.

Before we started toward their compartment, I followed Hermione to the front of the train. "Excuse me, conductor," she said. "But are we almost at Hogwarts?"

"Yes, just about fifteen minutes left," the conductor replied.

"Thank you, sir," Hermione said politely. She nodded at me and we walked through the hall to the back of the train. We arrived at the two boy's compartment.

The first thing we saw was Ron lifting his pet rat by its tail and a bunch of sweets all over the floor. "What _has_ been going on?" Hermione wanted to know.

"I think he's been knocked out," Ron told Harry, ignoring Hermione. "No- I don't believe it- he's gone back to sleep."

"Did that blond boy and his friends hurt him?" I asked, sitting down beside Ron. "I don't think they're a good sort."

"You mean Malfoy?" Ron asked, looking at me.

"Well, if that's his name," I said with a shrug.

"It is," Harry said. "Yeah, that's right. Carly and I have had to deal with Draco before."

"You've met Malfoy before?" Ron asked, looking at me first and then at Harry.

"Yes," Harry said. "You see, we were buying our robes at Madam Malkin's and he happened to be there. He was never a pleasant person."

"I've heard of his family," Ron said darkly. "They were some of the first to come back to our side after You-Know-Who disappeared. Said they'd been bewitched. My dad doesn't believe it. He says Malfoy's father doesn't need an excuse to go over to the Dark Side."

"Wait," I said. "You-Know-Who. Who's that?"

Ron's jaw dropped. "No, it's alright," Harry said to Ron. Then he looked at me and smiled apologetically. "It's Lord Voldemort."

Hermione gasped as if she was shocked Harry would say the name.

Her gasp seemed to remind Ron she was in the room. So he looked up at her and said, "Can we help you with something?"

"You'd better hurry up and put your robes on, we've just been up to the front desk to ask the conductor, and he says we're nearly there. You haven't been fighting, have you? You'll be in trouble before we even get there!"

"Scabbers has been fighting, not us," said Ron, scowling at her. "Would you mind leaving while we change?"

"All right- I only came in here because people outside are behaving very childishly, racing up and down the corridors," said Hermione in a sniffy voice. "And you've got dirt on your nose, by the way, did you know?"

I giggled. Ron glared at Hermione and me as we left.

We got back to the front of our train where our stuff was. She grabbed her supplies. I grabbed my owl and my supplies. We looked out the window and saw mountains and forests under a purple sky. The train seemed to be slowing down. Right before Hermione and I brought our stuff to the door a voice announced, _"We will be reaching Hogwarts in five minutes time. Please leave your luggage on the train; it will be taken to the school separately." _

"I guess we leave our stuff here," I said, setting mine down.

Then we pushed past several students to the front of the train. We were some of the first to get off after the train slowed down and stopped. But Hermione didn't want to get ahead. She stopped and waited. "I'm waiting for Neville," she told me. "You can too, if you want."

"Alright," I said standing next to her. Neville caught up with us.

"Hello, Neville," Hermione said to him. He was sniffing sadly.

We were all standing on a tiny, dark platform. A lamp came bobbing over the heads of students.

"Firs' years! Firs' years over here! All right there, Harry?" a voice shouted. It belonged to Hagrid. "C'mon, follow me- anymore firs' year? Mind yer step, now! Firs' years follow me!"

So Hermione, Neville, and I followed after the giant. Harry and Ron were walking nearby behind us. We followed Hagrid down a steep, narrow path. "Yeh'll get yer firs' sight o' Hogwarts in a sec," Hagrid called over his shoulder. "Jus' round this bend here."

"Oooooh!" a bunch of kids shouted.

The narrow path had opened suddenly onto the edge of a great black lake. Perched atop a high mountain on the other side, its windows sparkling in the starry sky, was a vast castle with many turrets and towers. It was an awesome sight. I'd never seen anything like it before. I was filled with excitement. Hagrid walked over to a bunch of boats on the lake.

"No more'n four to a boat!" Hagrid called, pointing to them.

Harry and Ron ran up to a boat. Hermione and Neville ran after them. I ran after them too, hoping to possibly get on the boat before Neville did. But I was too late. Neville got there first.

"No more than four to a boat!" Ron reminded me when I got there.

"I'm sorry, Carly," Hermione apologized.

"No, that's alright," I said nodding. I walked over to the only boat that wasn't full. It had three people in it. They were Draco Malfoy and his two fat friends. I knew Draco was bad news, but I still needed to be friendly to him if I wanted a spot on the boat to Hogwarts. I smiled at him.

Before I'd gotten on the boat, he had been talking and laughing with his friends. But then he'd stopped when I sat in front of him. I was going to be unable to enjoy the ride to Hogwarts because I felt his eyes digging holes in the back of my head.

"Everyone in?" shouted Hagrid, who had a boat to himself. "Right then- FORWARD!"

And the fleet of little boats moved off all at once, gliding across the lake, which was as smooth as glass. Everyone was silent, staring up at the great castle overhead. It towered over us as we sailed nearer and nearer to the cliff on which it stood.

"Heads down!" yelled Hagrid as the boats reached the cliff; we all bent our heads and the little boats carried us through a curtain of ivy that hid a wide opening in the cliff face. We were carried along a dark tunnel, which seemed to be taking us right underneath the castle, until we reached a-kind of underground harbor, where we clambered out onto rocks and pebbles.

"Oy, you there! Is this your toad?" said Hagrid, who was checking the boats as people climbed out of them.

"Trevor!" cried Neville blissfully, holding out his hands. I was kind of mad at Neville for taking my place on the boat, but I was glad he found his toad.

We then clambered up a passageway in the rock after Hagrid's lamp, coming out at last onto smooth, damp grass right in front of the shadow of the castle.

We walked up a flight of stone steps and crowded around the huge, oak front door.

"Everyone here? You there, still got yer toad?"

Neville nodded. I ran quickly past Draco and stood next to Neville, Hermione, Harry, and Ron.

Hagrid raised a giant fist and knocked three times on the castle door.

...........

Disclaimer: I DO NOT OWN THESE CHARACTERS EXCEPT FOR MY OC AND HER FAMILY! EVERYTHING ELSE BELONGS TO J.K. ROWLING!

Author's Note:

Carly is about to have the school year of her life. 

Please R&R, but be kind. I'm very sensitive! ;)


	3. The Sorting Hat

49

The Sorting Hat

Chapter 3

............

The door swung open at once. A tall, black haired witch with a strict look on her face and dressed in emerald-green robes stood there. She observed all the young students standing before her.

"The firs' years, Professor McGonagall," said Hagrid.

Professor McGonagall was the one who had written the Hogwarts letters. "Thank you, Hagrid," she said in a reserved tone of voice. "I will take them from here."

She opened the door to a huge entrance hall. There were stone walls lit with flaming torches, an extremely high ceiling, and a magnificent marble staircase leading to upper floors.

We followed Professor McGonagall across the flagged stone floor. I could hear tons of chatter from a doorway to the right. It must have been all the older students. Professor McGonagall showed us into a small, empty chamber off the hall. We crowded in, standing close together, looking around nervously.

"Welcome to Hogwarts," Professor McGonagall said. "The start-of-term banquet will begin shortly, but before you take your seats in the Great Hall, you will be sorted into your houses. The Sorting is a very important ceremony because, while you are here, your house will be something like your family within Hogwarts. You will have classes with the rest of your house, sleep in your house dormitory, and spend free time in your house common room. The four houses are called Gryffindor, Hufflepuff, Ravenclaw, and Slytherin.

"Each house has its own noble history and each has produced outstanding witches and wizards. While you are at Hogwarts, your triumphs will earn your house points, while any rule-breaking will lose house points. At the end of the year, the house with the most points is rewarded the house cups, a great honor. I hope each of you will be a credit to whichever house becomes yours.

"The Sorting Ceremony will take place in a few minutes in front of the rest of the school. I suggest you all smarten yourselves up as much as you can while you are waiting."

She glanced at Neville's cloak, which was fastened under his left ear, and on Ron's smudged nose. Harry nervously tried to flatten his hair. "I shall return when we are ready for you," Professor McGonagall said, turning around and leaving the chamber.

"I'm excited," I told Hermione. "But also nervous."

"Me too," Hermione agreed. "Goodness, I hope it's Gryffindor."

"Me too," I said. "Let's keep our fingers crossed."

"In the meantime, I need to remember some spells that might be useful to me during the school year," Hermione said. She began listing the spells silently amongst herself.

"What the-?" Harry gasped.

He jumped about a foot in the air and people started screaming. About Twenty pearly-white, transparent ghosts glided across the room talking to each other and hardly glancing at any of us.

Suddenly one wearing a ruff and tights noticed us.

"New students!" he exclaimed. "About to be Sorted, I suppose?"

A few people nodded mutely.

"Hope to see you in Hufflepuff!" the ghost said. "My old house, you know."

"I'd rather barf dragon's blood," Draco muttered to one of his friends. His friend snorted and cackled.

Hermione overheard and seemed to worry that the ghost might have overheard too. So she smiled kindly and nodded politely at him before he floated away with his ghost friends.

"Move along now," Professor McGonagall told them in a sharp tone of voice. Then she looked at all of us and said, "The Sorting Ceremony's about to start. Now, form a line, and follow me."

As the group started to form a line, Hermione and I had somehow gotten separated from Harry Potter and Ron Weasley. We were several people behind them. Neville came up from behind us and stayed close. Draco Malfoy and his friends had waited for everyone to get in line before they did, so they'd be last.

Professor McGonagall led us out of the chamber, back across the hall, and through a pair of double doors into the Great Hall. The Great Hall was lit by thousands of candles floating in midair above four long tables, where the rest of the students were sitting. There were teachers sitting at the top of the hall at a long table of their own.

"Stand here," Professor McGonagall told us, gesturing for us to stand in one long line, our backs facing the teachers. We were now all looking at the older students who looked back curiously at us.

"Look up at the ceiling," Hermione whispered to me, pointing her finger up at the ceiling. I looked up. It was black with dots that looked like stars all over it. "It's bewitched to look like the sky outside. I read about it in _Hogwarts, A History_."

I jumped at the sound of a four-legged stool being placed in front of all of us first years. On top of the stool Professor McGonagall placed a dirty looking wizard's hat.

Complete silence fell over the room as everyone in it leaned in close to see and hear what was going to happen next. I jumped when the hat started twitching. A rip toward its brim opened like it was a mouth, and then the hat began _singing!_

"_Oh, you may not think I'm pretty,_

_But don't judge on what you see,_

_I'll eat myself if you can find_

_A smarter hat than me._

_You can keep your bowler's black, _

_Your top hats sleek and tall, _

_For I'm the Sorting Hat_

_And I can cap them all._

_There's nothing hidden in your head_

_The Sorting Hat can't see,_

_So try me on and I will tell you_

_Where you ought to be. _

_You might belong in Gryffindor,_

_Where dwell the brave at heart,_

_Their daring, nerve, and chivalry_

_Set Gryffindors apart;_

_You might belong in Hufflepuff,_

_Where they are just and loyal,_

_Those patient Hufflepuffs are true_

_And unafraid of toil; _

_Or yet in wise old Ravenclaw,_

_If you've a ready mind,_

_Where those of wit and learning,_

_Will always find their kind;_

_Or perhaps in Slytherin_

_You'll make your real friends,_

_Those cunning folk use any means_

_To achieve their ends. _

_So put me on! Don't be afraid!_

_And don't get in a flap!_

_You're in safe hands (though I have none)_

_For I'm a Thinking Cap!" _

The crowd burst into applause as the hat finished its song. It bowed gracefully before becoming still again. Professor McGonagall stepped forward, holding a long scroll in the air.

"Abbot, Hannah!" she shouted. A pink-faced girl with blond pigtails stumbled out of line, put on the hat which fell down right over her eyes, and sat down. After a moment's pause, the hat shouted,

"HUFFLEPUFF!"

The table on the right of the Hall applauded wildly as Hannah ran over to it and sat down.

"Bones, Susan!"

"HUFFLEPUFF!"

As the selections continued, Hermione turned to me with a big grin on her face. "I'm excited, aren't you? I think I'm either going to get Gryffindor or Ravenclaw. What do you think _you'll_ get?"

"Hmm, I'm not sure," I said honestly in response. Well, I didn't. I thought maybe I'd get Gryffindor because I was adventurous and daring. But then again, I'd might get Hufflepuff because I was patient and loyal. And maybe Slytherin since I had a taste for revenge. Hopefully _not_.

"Granger, Hermione!"

Hermione ran to the stool and jammed the hat on top of her head.

"GRYFFINDOR!"

Hermione ran over to the Gryffindor table and sat down right away, as the room filled with applause. I cheered for her. I was happy for her that she got into Gryffindor, but I was also a bit jealous. I wished I'd already been sorted, and I wished I'd been sorted into _Gryffindor_ already.

"Longbottom, Neville!"

Neville fell on his way over to the stool. Many people laughed at him. I turned around to glare at them. What? Were _they_ so great they thought they had the nerve to laugh at other people?

"GRYFFINDOR!"

As Neville ran over to the Gryffindor table, he had forgotten to take the hat off. There was more laughter. But he suddenly remembered and handed it to someone named Morag, MacDougal.

"Malfoy, Draco!"

I glowered as Draco Malfoy strutted forward and sat down on the stool. The hat barely touched his head before screaming, "SLYTHERIN!" Draco strutted over to the Slytherin table to join up with his two friends who were apparently named Crabbe and Goyle.

There were more people called, including Pansy Parkinson and two twin girls named Padma and Parvati Patil. And then not too long later, Professor McGonagall called the name, "Perry, Carly!"

I closed my eyes and took a deep breath as I walked up toward the stool and sat down. I got woozy when I sat down. I opened my eyes and saw that everyone was staring at me. Hermione and Neville looked hopefully at me. Draco smirked wickedly at me. He obviously noticed the look of queasiness on my face.

The room seemed to be spinning in circles now. I felt my face turn green. I knew I was going to vomit. And I knew it wasn't because everyone was staring at me. It was from all the nausea the worry was putting on me. I really, really, _really_ wanted to get Gryffindor.

"Uh, Miss Perry?" Professor McGonagall said to me.

I had forgotten to put the hat on my head, so Professor McGonagall walked over to me and set the hat on top of my head for me. I could hear constant laughter from the students and chatter from the teachers.

Once the hat was set on my head it started speaking. "Hmm," it said, deep in thought. "You are a tricky one, aren't you, Miss Perry? Let me see where I should put you. I don't think you belong in Ravenclaw, forgive me. I just don't think you have the knowledge. But let me see. You've got a great taste for revenge- the very quality one of Slytherin might possess. But when you aren't seeking revenge, you're easygoing and loyal to others. So should I put you in Hufflepuff? But wait! What's this I see? I see you are very brave and longing for adventure! The exact definition of a Gryffindor. This'll be tricky. Give me a moment to think. Out of Slytherin, Hufflepuff, and Gryffindor… I think you will be best for… GRYFFINDOR!"

I almost passed out from the relief. I finally opened my eyes.

Everyone at the far left, Gryffindor table was cheering wildly for me. I smiled proudly to myself. I stood up from the stool, almost losing my footing. "Oh, be _careful,_ Miss Perry," Professor McGonagall said strictly, removing the hat from my head.

"Sorry, Professor. I will be," I promised her.

Before I walked over to the Gryffindor table, I looked back at the teachers. I noticed one right away. He was a man with a hooked-nose, greasy black hair, and sallow skin. He had been talking to a young, frail man with a turban before I'd noticed him.

The reason I'd noticed this hooked-nosed teacher was because _he'd_ noticed _me._ He was giving me a cautious stare as if he was thinking, "She's a very strange girl. I'd better keep my eye on her this year."

"Do _hurry,_ Miss Perry!" Professor McGonagall snapped at me.

"Oh, right, sorry, Professor," I apologized. I turned around and walked over to the Gryffindor table. I sat down beside Hermione, who had cleared a space in between her and Neville for me.

"Goodness, Carly, you're _grass_ green!" Hermione gasped.

"Sorry," I said. "I was just really nervous, that's all."

"Potter, Harry!" Professor McGonagall shouted.

Harry nervously eyeballed everybody and stepped forward. There was a breakout of whispers everywhere.

_"Potter,_ did she say?"

_"The_ Harry Potter?"

Harry stared out at the gawking crowd as the hat dropped over his eyes.

"They're all acting so immature," Hermione said to me, rolling her eyes. "Haven't they ever been told it's not polite to stare?"

Minutes later the hat had still not chosen Harry's house yet.

"That's curious," Hermione said confusedly. She looked at me. "The hat's taking just as long to decide where Harry's going to go as it took it to choose where you were going to go."  
"GRYFFINDOR!" the hat finally decided.

Our table screamed with applause. Everyone stood up and clapped their hands loudly. Students at the other tables looked disappointed, like they would have liked to have Harry in their house. Harry was barely breathing as he made his way over to our table. He was just as nervous as I had been.

An older boy with dark red hair stood up at once and shook Harry's hand vigorously. Then two tall, redheaded boys who looked similar to Ron Weasley stood up and cheered, "We got Potter! We got Potter!"

Harry sat down across from a ghost who patted him on the arm. Harry didn't look too happy when the ghost did this.

"Congratulations, Harry," I said encouragingly, reaching over Hermione and the older redhead boy, and patting Harry on the shoulder. "I'm so glad we're all on Gryffindor so far. Wanna get a better look at the teachers? I haven't seen them all yet."

Harry was too dazed to start speaking again, but he nodded and he and I looked up at the High Table.

"There's Hagrid, of course," Harry said, finally able to speak. I looked over at Hagrid, who was giving Harry a thumbs-up signal. "Oh, and there's Professor Dumbledore."

Dumbledore! I'd been really interested in seeing who Professor Dumbledore was, since he was supposed to be the Headmaster of the whole school! I asked Harry to show me who he was, and he pointed at an old man sitting in a large gold chair, with long silver hair and a long silver beard. I should have figured that the old man was Dumbledore. He was sitting in the very center of the High Table. That was obviously where the Headmaster of Hogwarts would have been sat.

"And there's Professor Quirrell," Harry said, pointing to the young, frail man with the turban on his head, who had been talking to the hooked-nose teacher earlier.

"Weasley, Ron!" Professor McGonagall said.

"Wait, let's see what happens," Harry told me.

"Wow, _he's_ just as green as _I_ had been," I whispered to Hermione as we watched Ron step forward toward the stool.

"True, but _he_ looks _way_ more ridiculous than you did," Hermione muttered, blushing as she stared at Ron.

"GRYFFINDOR!"

The Gryffindor table cheered again as Ron made his way toward it. He collapsed next to Harry. "Well done, Ron, excellent," said the older boy with the dark red hair. Hermione told me his name was Percy Weasley and he was one of Ron's older brothers.

"Ron, you should have seen your face up there," I teased.

_"Mine?"_ Ron protested. _"You_ were the one that looked silly up there! At least I know how to put a hat on top of my own head."

"But Ron, you must admit the look on your face was priceless before you got the name of your house," one of the twin redheaded boys laughed.

"Want me to show you your face?" the second twin asked. Then he and his twin made mockingly nervous faces to tease Ron.

"Haha, very funny, Fred. Cut it out, George," Ron said frowning.

Just then Albus Dumbledore rose to his feet. Everyone stopped what they were doing at once to look at him. He was beaming at everyone, his arms opened wide, as if nothing could have pleased him more than to see us all here.

"Welcome!" he said. "Welcome to a new year at Hogwarts! Before we begin our banquet, I would like to say a few words. And here they are: Nitwit! Blubber! Oddment! Tweak! Thank you!"

He sat back down. Most everyone clapped and cheered. Harry and I exchanged laughing looks.

"Is he…?" I began, not knowing how to say this.

"A bit mad?" Harry helped me out.

Percy gave us both a look. _"Mad?"_ he repeated. "He's a _genius!_ Best wizard in the _world!_ But he is a bit mad, yes. Potatoes, Harry? Carly?"

We both looked down at the table and our mouths hung wide open. All the dishes that had just been empty a minute ago were now all _full!_ I'd never seen so much food in my life! There was roast beef, roast chicken, pork chops, lamb chops, sausages, bacon and steak, boiled potatoes, roast potatoes, fries, Yorkshire pudding, peas, carrots, gravy, ketchup, and peppermint humbugs.

Honestly, I didn't like much of this, since it was all meat and I was a vegetarian. I quickly grabbed a French fry and gobbled it down. I ate French fries all the time throughout my life while I lived in New York.

"Is that _all _you're going to eat?" Ron asked me, giving me a look.

"It's not _all_ I'm gonna eat," I said blushing.

"I could eat both my food _and_ your food, the way I'm feeling right now," Ron said.

"And you'll wind up fat as a pig," Hermione scolded him.

"Who says I will?" Ron asked, narrowing his eyes at her.

"Um, your _stomach,"_ Hermione replied.

I then noticed that Harry was eating a little bit of everything. He'd obviously been deprived of so much food growing up.

"That does look good," a ghost sighed sadly, eyeing all the food.

Harry looked up at him. "Can't you-"

"I haven't you eaten for nearly four hundred years," said the ghost. "I don't need to, of course, but one does miss it. I don't think I've introduced myself? Sir Nicholas de Mimsy-Porpington at your service. Resident ghost of Gryffindor Tower."

"I know who you are!" Ron said suddenly. "My brothers told me about you- you're Nearly Headless Nick!"

"I would prefer you call me Sir Nicholas de Mimsy-" the ghost began, stiffly.

_"Nearly_ Headless?" interrupted a sandy-haired boy, who's name was Seamus Finnigan. "How can you be _nearly_ headless?"

Sir Nicholas looked a bit offended. I could tell he was embarrassed. "Like _this,"_ he said irritably. He seized his left ear and pulled. His whole head swung off his neck and fell onto his shoulder as if it was on a hinge. I groaned. I felt like I wanted to throw up the French fries I'd been eating. Nearly Headless Nick flipped his head back onto his neck, coughed, and said, "So- new Gryffindors! I hope you're going to help us win the house championship this year? Gryffindors have never gone so long without winning. Slytherins have got the cup six years in a row! The Bloody Baron's becoming almost unbearable- he's the Slytherin ghost."

Then all at once Harry, Ron, Hermione, Seamus, Neville, and I all turned around to get a better look at the ghost at the Slytherin table. I gasped at the sight of a horrifying ghost with blank staring eyes, a gaunt face, and robes stained in silver blood. The ghost was sitting next to Draco Malfoy, who didn't look too happy. I laughed to myself.

"How did he get covered in blood?" Seamus asked, interested.

"I've never asked," Nearly Headless Nick said in response.

Once everyone had gotten almost full from their food the remainders of the food magically faded away from their plates! Then _new_ food appeared! There was tons of ice cream, apple pies, treacle tarts, chocolate éclairs and jam doughnuts, trifle, strawberries, Jell-O, rice pudding, and much more! I gasped in excitement, and grabbed a bowl of ice cream of every flavor.

"Everything here's so magical," I said.

Ron laughed into his hand and stared amusedly at me.

"Hey, it's not so funny!" I snapped at him. "I'm a half-blood, okay? I'm unused to this kinda, magical thing."

"Don't worry about it," Seamus Finnigan said kindly to me. "I'm half and half too. Me dad's a muggle. Mom didn't tell him she was a witch 'til _after_ they were married. Bit of a nasty shock for him."

"Haha, I bet so," said a handsome black boy sitting nearby. He smiled at me and then at Seamus. "My name's Dean. Dean Thomas." He held out his hand for me to shake. I did.

"Hi, Dean," I said smiling flirtatiously.

"Hi," Ron said to Dean, looking a bit jealous of him for a moment or two. Then he looked away from him and at Neville. "What about _your_ family, Neville?"

"Well, my gran brought me up and she's a witch," said Neville, "but the family thought I was all-Muggle for ages. My Great Uncle Algie kept trying to catch me off my guard and force some magic out of me- he pushed me off the end of Blackpool pier once, I nearly drowned- but nothing happened until I was eight. Great Uncle Algie came round for dinner, and he was hanging me out of an upstairs window by the ankles when my Great Aunt Enid offered him a meringue and he accidentally let go. But I bounced- all the way down the garden and into the road. And you should have seen their faces when I got in here- they thought I might not be magic enough to come, you see. Great Uncle Algie was so pleased he bought me my toad."

I overheard Percy and Hermione talking about lessons.

"I _do_ hope they start right away, there's so much to learn, I'm particularly interested in Transfiguration, you know, turning something into something else, of course, it's supposed to be very difficult," Hermione said.

"You'll be starting small," Percy told her. "Just matches into needles and that sort of thing."

"Ouch!" Harry gasped, clapping a hand to his forehead.

"What is it?" Percy asked him.

"N-nothing," Harry replied.

"Are you okay?" I asked him.

"Yes, I'm fine," he assured me. Then he turned to Percy and asked, "Who's that teacher speaking to Professor Quirrell?"

"Oh, you know Quirrell already, do you? No wonder he's looking so nervous, that's Professor Snape. He teaches Potions, but he doesn't want to- everyone knows he's after Quirrell's job. Knows an awful lot about the Dark Arts, Snape," Percy explained.

"I know. I could tell," I said. "Earlier he was staring at me darkly."

"He can seem creepy at times," Percy agreed nodding.

When the desserts disappeared, Dumbledore got up to his feet again. Everyone got silent to hear what he was going to say.

"Ahem- just a few more words now that we are all fed and watered. I have a few start-of-term notices to give you. First years should note that the forest on the grounds is forbidden to all pupils. And a few of our older students would do well to remember that as well," Dumbledore said, his eyes flashing to Fred and George Weasley.

The two of them laughed mischievously amongst themselves.

Dumbledore continued, "I have also been asked by Mr. Filch, the caretaker, to remind you all that no magic should be used between classes in the corridors. Quidditch trials will be held in the second week of the term. Anyone interested in playing for their house teams should contact Madam Hooch. And finally, I must tell you that this year, the third-floor-corridor on the right-hand side is out of bounds to everyone who does not wish to die a very painful death."

Harry laughed. Everyone stared at him, including me.

"He's not serious?" Harry asked Percy in embarrassment.

"Must be," Percy said, frowning at Dumbledore. "It's odd, because he usually gives us a reason why we're not allowed to go somewhere- the forest's full of dangerous beasts, everyone knows that. I do think he might have told us prefects, at least."

"And now, before we go to bed, let us sing the school song!" Dumbledore cried. He gave his wand a little flick, and a long golden ribbon flew out of it, which rose high above the tables and twisted itself, snake-like, into words. "Everyone pick their favorite tune, and off we go!"

"_Hogwarts, Hogwarts, Hoggy Warty Hogwarts,_

_Teach us something please,_

_Whether we be old and bald_

_Or young with scabby knees, _

_Our heads could so with some filling_

_With some interesting stuff,_

_For now they're bare and full of air,_

_Dead flies and bits of fluff,_

_So teach us things worth knowing,_

_Bring back what we've forgot,_

_Just do your best, we'll do the rest,_

_And learn until our brains all rot."_

Wow, Hogwarts seemed so enchanting and magical I'd almost forgotten the _academic_ aspect of it. I felt a knot in my stomach. It was like the Sorting Hat said: I wasn't an academically focused person. I'd gotten good grades all my life, but that was because I'd worked myself practically to _death _to understand school work, and that had been things like Math, Science, and Social Studies. Hogwarts was different.

Now I was going to be learning things like spells and magic tricks! I wasn't going to _live_ in this school, unless I used Hermione as a human encyclopedia for myself. I guess I was off to a good start, since I may have been best friends with the smartest girl in the whole school.

Everyone finished the song at different times. The last two singing were the Weasley twins. They were singing the song to the tune of a very slow funeral march. Dumbledore conducted their last few lines with his wand and when they finished, he was one of those who clapped loudest.

"Ah, music," he said, wiping his eyes. "A magic beyond all we do here! And now, bedtime. Off you trot!"

"Alright, first years, come this way," Percy said, motioning for all the Gryffindor first years to follow him. We followed him through the chattering crowd, out of the Great Hall, and up the marble staircase.

I gasped when I noticed that all the people in portraits all over the world were _alive!_ They were whispering and pointing at us as we passed. I rubbed my eyes, closed them, and reopened them to make sure.

"No, your eyes aren't deceiving you," Fred Weasley laughed at me.

Percy led us through doorways hidden behind sliding panels and hanging tapestries. We climbed more staircases, and it got dull. I started yawning and dragging my feet. I almost bumped into Harry.

"I'm so sorry," I told him. "I'm just so tired."

"That's alright," he assured me. "I know the feeling."

Then I noticed that a bunch of walking sticks were floating in midair above us. Percy took a step toward them as they approached us.

"Peeves," he whispered to us. "A poltergeist. Peeves, show yourself."

There was a loud, rude sound, like the air being let out of a balloon. Percy rolled his eyes and put his hands on his hips. "Peeves, do you want me to go to the Bloody Baron?"

There was a popping sound, and a tiny man with wicked looking dark eyes and a wide mouth appeared, floating cross-legged in the air, holding onto the walking sticks.

"Oooooooh!" he cackled evilly. "Ickle Firsties! What fun!" He eyed Harry, Hermione, Ron, and I mischievously. Then he lunged at us! We all screamed, Ron the loudest. I wanted to laugh at him.

"Go _away,_ Peeves, or Baron'll hear about it, I _mean_ it!" barked Percy.

Peeves stuck his tongue out at him and disappeared, dropping the walking sticks on Neville's head. "Ow," Neville groaned, rubbing his head with his hand in pain.

"You want to watch out for Peeves," Percy told us. "The Bloody Baron's the only one who can control him. He won't even listen to us prefects. Here we are."

At the very end of the corridor hung a portrait of a very overweight woman in a pink silk dress. "Password?" she said.

"Caput Draconis," said Percy, and the portrait swung forward to reveal a round hole in the wall. We all scrambled through it, one at a time. Ron tried getting through it while I still was. He accidentally stepped on the back of my foot.

_"Ow!"_ I said turning around and glaring at him.

"Sorr-_ee,"_ he said, looking rather surprised at my reaction.

"Ladies, this way," Percy said, motioning with his finger for all the girls to follow him to a certain room. "The girl's dormitories," he said, pointing to a door. "There's enough for everyone. Get to sleep."

Then he walked away, most likely going to help the boys find their dormitories.

Hermione and I entered a room, followed by two other girls. One of their names was Lavender Brown and the other was Parvati Patil.

The room was nice with a few beds, and deep red, velvet curtains.

We all changed into our pajamas and got into our own beds.

"Did you see that red-haired boy?" Lavender Brown asked Parvati Patil in a dreamy tone of voice. "Ron Weasley was his name! He was so handsome, _wasn't_ he, Parvati?"

Parvati shrugged. "Nah, I prefer Harry Potter."

"He's _alright,_ I guess," Lavender said making a face.

"You two should stop talking about boys and get to sleep," Hermione scolded them. "We all have a very big day ahead of us tomorrow. You need to have lots of sleep if you want to do well in all your classes."

Lavender frowned and crossed her arms. "Well, _you _don't have to worry about them, do you? You and your blond friend Carly over there seemed pretty buddy-buddy with Ron Weasley and Harry Potter, _didn't_ you? They probably like you a lot."

"Ha!" Hermione said. "Ron didn't seem to like me at all."

Her voice sounded heavy when she said this, like she was going to cry or something.

Lavender smirked. "Aw, that's too bad."

After about thirty minutes both Lavender and Parvati fell asleep.

I rolled over on my side and whisper-shouted, _"Hermione!"_

"Oh…Carly…I didn't know you were awake," Hermione sniffed embarrassedly. I'd been kept awake because she was crying. She probably started crying because of Ron, and she didn't know anyone was awake.

"Get some sleep, Hermione," I told her. "You want to be open-minded for all your classes. You want to get some knowledge. You want to be best-in-class. You want to show that Ron Weasley you're much smarter than he is."

She blushed. "I'm not upset about him," she said.

But I knew she _was. _

"Hermione, you have to be confident," I told her. "I know you have the power to be Hogwart's shining star. And when you become Hogwart's shining star, he'll come running to you. Boys love shining stars."

She stopped crying. "I don't care whether he likes me or not."

But I knew she _did._ I knew that because when I told her that, she'd stopped crying and she now had a big, hopeful smile on her face. I laughed. "Good night, Hermione. See you tomorrow."

"Good night, Carly," she said in response. She drifted off to sleep five minutes later.

I was jealous. All I wanted to do was fall asleep, but I couldn't. I was too excited _and _nervous about tomorrow. Tomorrow was going to be my very first day of learning at a school of witchcraft and wizardry. I kept anticipating the upcoming day in my mind, wondering what it was going to be like. Would the teachers like me? Or would they continue to get annoyed with me like McGonagall and Snape did tonight?

And would Draco Malfoy get over his grudge toward me? Was there a possible chance _he _would like me?

Or even Ron Weasley. I wondered.

I wondered so much I drifted off to sleep not too much later.

I had a strange dream. In the dream I was sitting on the Hogwarts Express in the back compartment across from Ron Weasley. There he was, sitting in front of me with his rat Scabbers in his hands. I was sitting next to my owl Bush's cage. We were laughing and staring at each other.

"I really like your rat," I said, in an echoing voice. "Where'd you get him?"

"Oh, Scabbers?" Ron said, also in an echoing voice. "That old thing? I don't even remember anymore."

I laughed. "That's alright. It doesn't really matter."

"No," he laughed in agreement. "It doesn't."

Then suddenly a giant toad leapt past us and jumped out the open window of the train! Then Neville came running into the compartment. "TREVOR!" he screamed. He looked at us. "Help me!"

"Alright, Neville. We're on it," Ron said. We both stood up.

And then we'd somehow jumped out of the open window and landed in one of those small boats we'd ridden onto Hogwarts. _"Now_ how are we going to find Neville's toad?" I asked in frustration.

"You're _not,"_ said Draco Malfoy's voice. We looked up and saw him holding the poor toad upside down. _"I_ already did." He smirked at us.

"Draco!" I growled, standing up. "You're gonna pay for this!"

"No," said Professor Snape, appearing out of nowhere from behind Draco. He spoke in a low, velvety tone of voice. He stepped toward me and stared down at me. "Well, well, well, Miss Perry, I must say. You've got a great taste for revenge- the very quality one of _Slytherin _might possess. You don't belong in _Gryffindor._ Come to Slytherin. Come to Slytherin. Come to Slytherin. Come to Slytherin. Come to Slytherin. Come to Slytherin."

_"NOOOOO!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!" _

...........

Disclaimer: I DO NOT OWN THESE CHARACTERS EXCEPT FOR MY OC AND HER FAMILY! EVERYTHING ELSE BELONGS TO J.K. ROWLING!

Author's Note: Now this chapter obviously has a lot of passages from J.K. Rowling's story, but that's because this is the start-of-term banquet we're talking about here! You can't change the facts of what happened that night. It would ruin the amazing story.

Carly, naturally, was placed in Gryffindor, although she was extremely close to being placed in Hufflepuff. Albus Dumbledore and Professor McGonagall are still secretly having second thoughts about her being a Gryffindor, and they are thinking together about how they might be able to switch Carly to Hufflepuff.

Carly's made some new friends. But also, it seems that both she and Hermione might have gotten a crush on Ron Weasley. Carly doesn't even realize this though. Please R&R, but be nice. I'm sensitive. 


	4. The Potions Master

56

The Potions Master

Chapter 4

............

"Wake up, Carly!" Hermione shouted, shaking me by my shoulder.

I woke up and looked at her. "What happened?" I asked.

Lavender and Parvati were laughing at me. They grabbed their stuff and quickly ran out of the dormitory. Hermione looked hopeless. "What happened?" I repeated curiously.

"You were having a nightmare," Hermione told me.

"Oh," I said nodding. I stood up from my bed and changed into my robe. Hermione had already changed into hers. "Is it time to go to our first class yet?" I asked when I grabbed my owl and my supplies.

"Yes," she said. "Come on. We don't want to be late."

So we left the dormitory and pushed past a crowd of people that were trying to get a peek at the boy's dormitory. "They all want to see Harry Potter," Hermione explained to me. "Can't they leave him alone?"

"I know, right," I agreed. We managed to get past them.

Then we left the Gryffindor corridors and noticed that there were a hundred and forty two staircases in front of us. There were sweeping ones, narrow ones, rickety ones, some that led somewhere different on a Friday, and some with a vanishing step halfway up, so you had to remember to jump. There were doors that wouldn't open unless you asked politely, or tickled them in exactly the right place, and doors that weren't really doors at all, but solid walls just pretending. It was very hard to remember where anything was, because it all seemed to move around a lot. The people in the portraits kept going to visit each other.

"Let's look for our first class," Hermione told me, "which is Herbology."

Just then Nearly Headless Nick flew by. "Ah, hello young Gryffindors," he said in a friendly tone of voice. "Do you need some help finding a class? I'm always willing to point Gryffindors in the right direction."

"Yes, sir," Hermione said. "Where can I find the Herbology class?"

"That's an easy one," Nearly Headless Nick said. "The Herbology class is held in a greenhouse behind the castle. Your teacher will be Professor Sprout. Today you will learn about different kinds of mold, and which ones grow on your sandwiches and on your skin."

"Sounds intriguing," Hermione said excitedly. "Come, Carly."

So we climbed downstairs to the bottom floor of the school. We left the building and headed down to the greenhouse. "Hermione Granger and Carly Perry, ma'am," Hermione said to a dumpy little witch.

"Thank you very much," the witch, who was Professor Sprout, replied smiling. "Now stand over at the other side of the garden."

Hermione motioned for me to walk over to the garden and stand next to Neville, who was soaking wet and covered in shock. Hermione gasped. "Neville, what has happened to you _this_ time?"

"Peeves the poltergeist," Neville explained flushing red.

"Alright, class," Professor Sprout said walking over to the garden to look at all the students. "As you all know, I am Professor Sprout. Today we are only going to talk about certain types of mold and fungi. We'll get more interactive with the fungi later in the semester."

And so for the rest of the class period she went on and on about it.

Our next class was History of Magic, the only one taught by a ghost. He just taught us a bunch of names and dates, and got some mixed up.

And then was Charms, which was taught by Professor Flitwick. Flitwick was so small he had to stand up on a bunch of books to see over his desk! He took role call at the beginning of class.

"Perry, Carly?" he said when he got to my name.

"Present," I said in response. There was some laughter.

"Potter… _HARRY!!!!"_ he squealed loudly. He fell out of sight.

There was more laughter.

Next was Transfiguration with Professor McGonagall. When everyone sat down in her class she said very clearly, "Transfiguration is some of the most complex and dangerous magic you will learn at Hogwarts. Anyone messing around in my class will leave and not come back. You have been warned."

Then she changed her desk into a pig and then back again! This wowed everyone in the room. None of us could wait to get started. "We, however, won't be learning to change furniture into animals for a long time," Professor McGonagall said. There were some groans. Then we were given the assignment to change matches into needles. But none of us could really do it. I was struggling big time. "You must try harder, Carly."

"Professor McGonagall!" a girl named Susan Bones said, waving her hand wildly in the air. "Hermione Granger did it!"

Then Professor McGonagall looked to my left at Hermione. Indeed, Hermione had changed her match into a needle. She had a big, proud smile on her face. "Congratulations, Miss Granger," Professor McGonagall said, giving Hermione a rare smile. "You are the first student I've ever had to complete the task on her first day of school."

"Wow, that was really good, Hermione," I told her after class, when we were on our way to the Defense Against the Dark Arts class.

"Oh, but it was so _easy,"_ Hermione said.

"I don't know," I chuckled with a shrug. Then we entered Professor Quirrell's classroom. I sniffed. "Do you smell…?"

"Garlic?" Hermione said. "Yes, isn't that curious? Oh, Professor Quirrell!"

"Y-y-y-yes?" Professor Quirrell stuttered, running by. He was holding a long green snake in his arms. It was obviously going to have something to do with the lesson he was going to teach us today.

"Your classroom smells of garlic," Hermione said. "Why is that?"

"Oh," Professor Quirrell laughed. "Y-you see, I'm trying to w-ward off a v-v-vampire I m-met in Romania. I t-think he's c-coming back to g-g-g-get me one of these days. Haha, b-better safe than s-sorry, right?"

"That makes sense, Professor," Hermione said nodding respectfully.

"Yes, well," Quirrell said. "T-take your s-seats, ladies. You'll want to be s-s-sitting down to l-learn your lessons."

"Yes, right away, sir," Hermione said. She grabbed me by my wrist and pulled me over to two empty seats to Harry Potter's left.

"W-we will be l-learning D-Defense Against the D-Dark Arts," Quirrell said to the class. "Any q-q-q-questions?"

"Yeah," I said raising my hand. "What's the story behind the turban?"

"Oh, t-that," Quirrell said nervously. "T-that was given to me by an African prince as a thank-you for getting rid of a troublesome z-zombie."

"How did you fight off the zombie, Professor?" Seamus Finnigan was curious to know.

Quirrell turned a bright pink and paused. "D-did any of you happen to notice the weather outside?" he asked with a pained smile on his face. "P-P-Professor McGonagall said it's r-rather overcast, but I t-think it's rather nice, don't you? Haha."

He looked extremely relieved when class was over.

"Come on, Carly," Hermione said to me. "It's _urgent_ we get to Potions class on time. You don't want to get Snape angry."

My heart leapt. "Snape?" I repeated. "His class is next?"

"Yes, and you'd better be good for him," Hermione said. "He is the head of the Slytherin house, like McGonagall is the head of the Gryffindor house. Percy told me last night that Snape favors his Slytherin students and will look for any opportunity to deduct points from Gryffindor."

"Oh, alright," I said. "I'll behave." Didn't want to get Snape mad.

Then I suddenly tripped over the bottom of my robe! I fell down face-first on the hard floor. "Oh! Goodness! Carly!" Hermione gasped.

There was loud laughter. I looked up and saw Draco Malfoy, Crabbe, Goyle, Pansy Parkinson, and a tall, gaunt boy named Blaise Zambini standing over me. They were pointing and making fun of me. I remembered they were all from the Slytherin house.

Hermione timidly crossed her arms over her chest and stood still, her head hanging low. I flushed red and blinked at Draco once or twice. "Stand up, Carly," Hermione whispered. So I did and stood next to her. I brushed the dirt off my robe and faced Draco, trying to look strong.

_"Get_ inside," snapped a low, velvety voice. I jumped. It was Snape.

We all turned around and saw Professor Severus Snape standing in the doorway to his dungeon classroom. He was glaring at all of us, even his precious Slytherin students. He raised an eyebrow at me.

"Yes, Professor, sir," the Slytherins babbled, quickly walking past him into the classroom. Snape glared at Hermione as she passed him. Then he leaned forward when I passed him.

"You might want to watch your step wherever you go, Miss Perry," he said. "Or get that robe of yours hemmed."

"Yes, Professor Snape," I said respectfully. I was a bit scared of him. It seemed to me he didn't like me at all, and I'd never even done anything to him. Hermione motioned for me to sit down next to her. This classroom was creepier than the others. It was cold and there were frozen animals inside glass jars covering the walls.

"Alright, class," said Snape, walking over to his desk. "I will start our class today by taking role." So he did so. Then he got to my name. "Carly Perry?" He practically gagged when he said my name.

"Here," I mumbled timidly, staring down at my desk.

Then he paused. "Ah, yes. Harry Potter. Our new- _celebrity."_

Draco Malfoy and Crabbe and Goyle snickered behind their hands.

Snape looked up at the class when he was done calling names. "You are here to learn the subtle science and exact art of potion-making," he said. He spoke so quietly that I had to listen very closely to hear what he was saying. "As there is little foolish wand-waving here, many of you will hardly believe this is magic. I don't expect you will really understand the beauty of the softly simmering cauldron with its shimmering fumes, the delicate power of liquids that creep through human veins, bewitching the mind, ensnaring the senses… I can teach you how to bottle fame, brew glory, even stopper death- if you aren't as big a bunch of dunderheads as I usually have to teach."

Harry and Ron exchanged looks with raised eyebrows. Hermione was on the edge of her seat, looking desperate to start proving she wasn't a dunderhead.

"Potter!" Snape said suddenly. "What would I get if I added powdered root of asphodel to an infusion of wormwood?"

"I don't know, sir," Harry said, after Hermione's hand shot right up in the air.

Snape's lips curled into a sneer. "Tut, tut- fame clearly isn't everything." He ignored Hermione's hand. "Let's try again, Potter, where would you look if I told you to find me a bezoar?"

Hermione stretched her hand as high into the air as it would go without her leaving her seat. Harry shook his head. "I don't know, sir."

"Thought you wouldn't open a book before coming, eh, Potter?" Snape said, continuing to ignore Hermione's quivering hand. "What is the difference, Potter, between monkshood and wolfsbane?"

Hermione stood up, her hand stretching toward the dungeon ceiling.

"Um, Professor Snape," I said, raising my quill pen up in the air. "I don't know whether you've noticed or not, but Hermione's been raising her hand since you're first question."

A few people laughed. Harry looked embarrassed.

Snape glared at me. "Sit down," he snapped at Hermione. "For your information, Potter, asphodel and wormwood make a sleeping potion so powerful it is known as the Draught of Living Death. A bezoar is a stone taken from the stomach of a goat and it will save you from most potions. As for monkshood and wolfsbane, they are the same plant, which also goes by the name of aconite. Well? Why aren't you all copying that down?"

All the students gasped and hurriedly wrote down what he'd said.

Snape said, "Two points will be taken from Gryffindor House for Potter's cheek and Perry's smart mouth."

All the Gryffindor students in the room groaned. "Get in pairs," Snape demanded. "Today I'm going to have you mix up a simple potion to cure boils." Then Snape swept around in his long black cloak, watching as we all began to weight dried nettles and crush snake fangs.

I partnered up with Hermione. Hermione seemed confident. She wanted to prove to Snape she was useful, so she tried her hardest.

"Quit showing off, Granger," Snape said as he came over to us. Then he looked at me, who was doing absolutely nothing except looking back at him, waiting for him to see how well Hermione was working. He glared at me. "What teamwork you two are using," he said sarcastically. "Miss Granger does all the work and Miss Perry here does _nothing_. Yes, Miss Perry, what a way to get the job done. One more point from Gryffindor."

Before I could protest he walked off over toward Draco, who was working with Blaise Zambini. "Look at the perfect way Malfoy has stewed his horned slugs, causing wondrous clouds of acid green smoke and hissing to fill the dungeon. You are a prodigy, Malfoy. You and Mr. Zambini here. Due to your splendid teamwork and results, I am rewarding Slytherin House with ten points!"

The Slytherin students all high-fived each other as the students from the other houses, especially Gryffindor, groaned and hung their heads low. "Our cauldron is coming out _much_ nicer than Draco's," Hermione pointed out with a scowl on her face. "This is injustice! This is favoritism!"

Snape walked over to see Seamus's and Neville's cauldron. Neville had somehow managed to melt Seamus's cauldron into a twisted blob, and their potion was seeping across the stone floor, burning holes in people's shoes. Then every student in the class gasped and jumped on top of their stools. Neville was drenched in the potion when his cauldron collapsed; he moaned in pain as angry red boils sprang up all over his body.

"Idiot boy!" Snape snarled, clearing the spilled potion away with one wave of his wand. "I suppose you added the porcupine quills before taking the cauldron off the fire?"

Neville whimpered as boils started to pop up all over his nose.

"Take him up to the hospital wing," Snape spat as Seamus. Seamus nodded and he and Neville quickly left the classroom.

Then Snape made his way over to Harry and Ron, who had been working next to Neville. "You- Potter- why didn't you tell him not to add the quills? Thought he'd make you look good if he got it wrong, did you? That's another point you've lost for Gryffindor."

He had stormed off before Harry could open his mouth to argue.

An hour later class was over. Harry and Ron ran out of the classroom, like they were worried Snape would keep them after class. Hermione and I started toward the dungeon door to leave.

"Miss Perry?" Snape said in a dark tone of voice.

Hermione and I exchanged looks. "Carly?" Hermione said.

"No, you go without me," I told her, rolling my eyes. "If this guy has a problem with me, it's better he lets me know now instead of at the end of the semester when report cards come out."

Hermione nodded, turned around, and left the dungeon.

"Come _here,_ Miss Perry," Snape growled. I took a deep breath and walked over to him. He glared down at me when I was right in front of him. "I am very disappointed in you, Miss Perry," he said. "You've been nothing but lazy today, not that I'd expect anything _higher_ of you."

I rolled my eyes again and said, "Professor, I haven't done-"

"That's _right,"_ he interrupted. "You haven't done anything to prove that you deserve a place at Hogwarts, and if you are going to make the grades you wish to make, you'd better participate in your assignments. Now do I make myself _clear?"_

I sighed. "Yes, sir. You've made that perfectly clear."

"Good," Snape said. "You may want to think about that the next time you come into my classroom. And if it happens again, I'll start writing up your Detentions."

"Yes, sir," I said, not knowing what else to say to that.

"I'm glad we've reached an understanding," Snape said. He gave me one last look and then turned around to walk over to his desk. He sat down and sorted through his things, letting me know he wanted me to leave.

I stuck my tongue out in his direction while he wasn't looking. Then I turned around and left the room, my ponytail flapping behind me. I caught up with Hermione, who'd been waiting for me at the end of the hallway.

_"I'm glad we've reached an understanding,"_ I mimicked Snape. "I'd like to kick him where it hurts, you know."

_"Carly!"_ Hermione gasped. "He is a _teacher!"_

"Not a very good one," I pointed out.

"Well, what did he say?" Hermione wanted to know.

"Nothing, really," I said. "Just that I was lazy, and he didn't expect anything more from me. Also that I've done nothing to prove I deserved a place in Hogwarts. Then he said if I acted this way again tomorrow he'll write up a Detention for me. It's _abuse,_ you know."

"I wouldn't take it so personally, Carly," Hermione said shaking her head. "He says those kinds of things to _everyone_. You saw the way he spoke to Neville and Harry earlier."

"And the way he spoke to _Draco_ and _Blaise,"_ I said. "He was practically _gushing_ over them! We could report him to Dumbledore for favoritism toward certain students."

"We can't report him, Carly," Hermione argued. "If he works at this school Dumbledore obviously trusts him, and that means Snape knows what he's doing."

I shook my head. "I'm sorry. I just don't agree."

"Don't worry about it, Carly," Hermione said. "Things will get better tomorrow. At least this evening we have dinner to look forward to."


	5. Crush

69

Crush

Chapter 5

............

All the Gryffindor students were hanging out in the common room for the rest of the day before dinner started- except for Ron and Harry. "Where _are _those two?" Hermione asked annoyedly.

"I don't know," I said in response, my stomach lurching every time the door to the common room opened. I'd been looking so forward to being in the common room today because I thought Ron and Harry would have come along to hang out with Hermione and me.

I didn't really know what it was about Ron Weasley, but a part of me just didn't want anything more than to get to know him.

"Ron and Harry?" Seamus asked. He was sitting next to me and Hermione. Neville wasn't around. He was still up in the hospital wing with Madam Pomfrey. "No one really knows where they went."

"True," Dean Thomas said. He was sitting on Seamus's other side. "But I heard they left the castle."

"Are they _allowed_ to do that?" I asked, raising an eyebrow.

"Well, _technically,"_ Hermione said, shrugging her shoulder.

"They're free to go anywhere they want after all their classes are over," Seamus pointed out. "Except for forbidden places. Like the forest."

Lavender Brown was sitting nearby, though she hadn't been earlier. Her eyes were opened wide like she got super interested at the mention of Ron's name. Parvati wasn't too faraway. She must have gotten really interested at the mention of Harry's name.

"Maybe we should talk a bit lower," Hermione mumbled.

"Do you think dinner will be as cool tonight as it was last night?" Seamus asked out of curiosity.

Dean shrugged. "I'm not sure. Last night was the start-of-term banquet."

"No," Fred Weasley said out of nowhere. He made a space for himself on the couch in between me and Seamus. "The banquet isn't going to be as fun tonight."

"There'll be less food," George Weasley explained, making a space for himself on the couch in between me and Hermione. He was holding a box of candy. He opened it and showed it to everyone on the couch.

"Oh, what are those?" I asked curiously.

"Chewy Flooeys," George replied.

"Our own creation," Fred boasted. "We found a way to turn Floo powder into something that's actually edible. They're quite good, actually. You wanna try one?"

"Sure," I said taking one of the small candies from the box.

"Oh, me too!" Seamus said, taking one for himself.

He and I began chewing our candies at the same time.

"Um… guys…?" Dean said staring at us.

"I don't think…" Hermione said shaking her head.

Then all of a sudden there was a loud _poof!_ and both Seamus's and my hair was standing tall on top of our heads. Fred and George laughed. "It was a prank," Fred said. "It's not actually candy, though it _does_ taste good."

_"Urgh,"_ Seamus growled glaring at the Weasley twins.

"Haha!" I laughed. "Yeah, it _does,"_ I agreed with Fred. "Wow, that was a good prank. You guys are funny. Hey, does my hair look good like this?"

"Miraculous!" Fred and George both said at the same time.

"Thank you," I said with a big grin on my face.

Dean was laughing into his hand.

"You look _ridiculous,_ Carly," Hermione said looking up at my tall golden blond hair that was standing straight up in the air. "Come over to the bathroom. I'm going to need to fix your hair." She grabbed my wrist and pulled me over to the bathroom. I could hear Lavender Brown and Parvati Patil laughing behind us.

I laughed when I saw my reflection in the mirror.

"Get a handful of sink water," Hermione said, pointing to the sink. So I did what she said and ran the water through my hair. "Now brush it down so it's facing straight down," she said. So I did. My hair was back to normal after another twenty minutes. "Hint of advice," Hermione said. "Don't take things from Fred and George Weasley."

"Alright. I hear ya," I said in response.

"I think it looks better now," Hermione said. "Poor Seamus. I guess it shouldn't bother him as much since he has short hair anyway. Come on; let's get back to the common room." So we did.

When we got back to the common room most everyone was crowded around Fred and George, wanting to try a Chewy Flooey, themselves. "It's a prank," Hermione told them. "Don't try one." Only some people listened.

Then there was a tapping on the door. Everyone looked to the door at once. It opened. Percy Weasley stood in the doorway. "Alright, Gryffindors," he said. "It's time for dinner. Get in a line."

The students all stood up and got in line. Some of them had their hair standing up on top of their heads, like I did before I'd fixed it. Percy noticed this and then glared at his brothers Fred and George, who were sitting and grinning innocently up at their prefect older brother. Percy shook his head. "Come along, boys," he said trying to control his anger.

So Fred and George stood up and walked in the back of the line downstairs to the Great Hall. We Gryffindors were somehow the last house to make it to the Great Hall. Percy had been running a little bit late.

Then when we got to our table, which was empty and waiting for us, I sat down beside Hermione. Seamus sat down on my other side, and Dean sat down next to him again. Fred and George sat down in front of Seamus and Dean. There were two empty spaces in front of Hermione and me.

"Those are for just in case Ronald and Harry get here," Fred said, winking at me as if he knew I was anticipating their arrival.

Then Albus Dumbledore rose to his feet as he'd done last night and raised his arms in the air, so everyone would turn to him and listen to what he needed to say.

"Thank you," he said when the room got quiet. "Now it looks to me like we have a few students missing from the Great Hall tonight, but we're going to start dinner anyway. Just make sure you save some for if they come."

Then, like last night, the food showed up on our plates! And like George said, there was less food, but fortunately for me, the food that _was _there was more casual and less fancy. I began eating away.

George reached over Fred and tried to grab the two plates of food at the empty seats of the bench. Fred slapped his arm and laughed humorously. "Don't touch those," he scolded playfully. "Those are for ickle Ronald and Harry. Such bad manners, George." His brother laughed too.

Then only a few minutes later the double doors at the front of the Hall burst open, and in came Ron Weasley and Harry Potter, Percy behind them. He didn't look too happy at them. I turned to look over at the High Table at Dumbledore. He had a big smile on his face.

Ron and Harry walked over to our table and sat at the empty seats.

I noticed Percy walking over to the High Table to whisper something to Dumbledore. Dumbledore just smiled and nodded at everything he said. Ron rolled his eyes and frowned. "He's probably telling on us."

"Where _were _you?" Hermione wanted to know.

"None of your business!" Ron snapped.

Hermione blushed and looked down at the table.

"What are those?" I asked when Ron and Harry took something out of their pockets.

"Rock cakes," Ron said making a face. "Want it?"

"Ew, no, I don't think so," I said in response.

_"We'll_ take them!" Fred volunteered. Fred took Ron's rock cake and George took Harry's rock cake.

Dumbledore stood up again when Percy walked away from him.

"I have only a few announcements," he said. "First and foremost, Madam Hooch will be giving flying lessons on Thursday."

A woman with short gray hair and yellow eyes stood up from the High Table and bowed, the crowd applauding wildly. Harry and Ron grinned. "Just what is so great?" Hermione asked them.

"I've been looking forward to flying lessons more than anything else," Harry replied. I didn't blame him. The thought of learning to fly excited me greatly too.

"Hufflepuff and Ravenclaw will be given lessons together, and Gryffindor and Slytherin will be given lessons together," Dumbledore announced.

"Typical," said Harry darkly. "Just what I always wanted. To make a fool of myself on a broomstick in front of Malfoy."

"You don't know that you'll make a fool of yourself," said Ron reasonably. "Anyway, I know Malfoy's always going on about how good he is at Quidditch, but I bet that's all talk."

That was true. I did hear Draco say something about Quidditch when I met him back at Madam Malkin's.

"I'm not too bad at flying, me self," Seamus Finnigan boasted as I turned around and looked back at Draco Malfoy. He was talking and laughing with all his Slytherin pals. Seamus said, "I've practically spent my whole life zooming around the country side on my broomstick. These flying lessons will be simple."

Then I turned back around and looked at Ron and Harry. "What took you guys so long to get back here?"

"I don't know," Harry said shrugging his shoulders.

"You went to the Forbidden Forrest, didn't you?" I said.

_"No!"_ Ron snapped. "What makes you think we went _there?"_

"Well, you're not telling me where you went," I pointed out.

"We just went somewhere," Harry said. "But we didn't go to the Forbidden Forrest. We went to visit someone."

"Well, it's a good thing you came back when you did," Hermione said. "You both could have gotten _expelled_ if you didn't show up."

"How do _you_ know that?" Ron asked her. "You're not Dumbledore. Anyway, we're allowed to go anywhere we want after classes are over."

_"I know that!"_ Hermione said with an offended look on her face. "You think I don't know how this school works?"

"Hmm, not sure," Ron said insensitively.

Hermione's eye twitched angrily.

"Hey, are you gonna eat that?" Fred and George asked Ron at the same time, pointing to their brother's plate.

"Uh… no," Ron said. "Just the thought of you two eating those rock cakes has made me sick for one night."

"Thanks," Fred and George said taking his dinner from him.

When dinner was over, the Gryffindor students got in line next to the Slytherin students. Pansy Parkinson and some random girl with white blond hair ran over to me and smirked.

"Hey, Perry," Pansy said. "Good luck trying to fly on Thursday.

AnnaSophia here says you half-bloods can't learn to fly to save your _life."_

"Oh, _really?"_ I asked frowning. "Glad we've met, AnnaSophia."

_"I'm_ not," the girl with the white blond hair said with an evil grin on her face. "By the way, I know all about your crush on Draco."

"My _what?!"_ I gasped. _"My crush on Draco?!" _

"Isn't it obvious, Perry?" Pansy asked. "I saw the way you said hi to him on the Hogwarts Express. I saw how you sat with him on the boat to Hogwarts. I see the way you're always staring back at him when we're eating in the Great Hall. You got it _bad_ for Malfoy."

"You two are insane," I told them. "Leave me alone."

"Come along, Carly," Hermione said to me, grabbing me by the wrist. She glared at Pansy and AnnaSophia before dragging me back in the Gryffindor line to head back to the corridors.

"Caput Draconis," Percy said again to the Fat Lady once we reached the portrait hole.

"Watch your step," Ron said to me when I climbed through the portrait hole even though I'd managed to climb safely through it. I turned around and gave him a look.

"Watch my step?" I said in outrage. "You just witnessed that I was able to get through that portrait hole perfectly on my own. Why are you telling me to watch my step?"

Ron turned red in the face and blinked once or twice. "Cause…" he said. "I was only trying to be _nice."_

"Really?" I asked smiling sarcastically. "It sounded rather arrogant to _me."_

"How did that sound arrogant?" Ron wanted to know.

"Hehehe," laughed Fred and George. "Young love."

"Shut up, the two of you!" Ron snapped at you. "You don't know what you're talking about."

"Ladies, gentlemen, separate," Percy said, eyeing Ron and I suspiciously. "Girls, go to your dormitories. Boys, go to yours."

"Good night, Carly," Harry said looking at me.

"Good night, Harry," I said smiling at him. I gave Ron another look.

Then I followed Hermione over to the girl's dormitories. Once we were inside the room I sat down on my bed and Hermione sat down on hers. I got dressed into my pajamas and got under my covers. Lavender Brown and Parvati Patil were over in a corner, doing each other's nails.

"Carly?" Hermione said suddenly.

"Yes?" I replied.

"Do you think Ron… do you think he _likes_ me?" Hermione asked.

"Like…" I began confusedly. "Like as a friend or _like_ like?"

"Like as a _friend,"_ Hermione said. "Because I'm not so sure. He acts a bit rude to me sometimes. I may be book smart, but I'm not _boy_ smart. But is it a good sign for a boy to act… _rude_… to a girl?"

I shrugged my shoulders. I didn't know how to answer this question. I wasn't a boy, and I definitely wasn't _Ron_.

"I dunno," I replied. "We'll have to find out, won't we?"

"I guess," she said in a sad voice.

"I'm sure he likes you, Hermione," I said encouragingly.

There was a long silence. "Hey, Hermione?" I said, concerned.

"You're just saying that because _you _don't have to worry about him!" she finally said. "Everyone knows he likes _you."_

"What?" I said trying not to smile.

"Ron likes you," Hermione repeated.

"Really?" I asked. "Who told you that?"

_"No_ one told me," Hermione snapped. "I just… I just _know."_

"Oh," I said quietly. "Don't worry, Hermione. You're my best friend. If Ron likes me, then he likes you too."

"That's real sweet of you, Carly, but we're not best friends just _yet,"_ Hermione said. "We only met yesterday. Don't forget that."

"I know," I said. "But you're my best friend _here._ How many best friends have you ever had?"

She paused. "Just _you,"_ she decided. "But _still!_ That doesn't mean Ron likes me!"

"He likes you fine, Hermione," I said in a calm tone of voice.

She was crying again. She sniffed. "Cause he likes _you."_

"Hermione, if I have to tell you _one_ more time-" I began.

_"Fine!"_ she said. "I'm going to sleep. I'll need all my energy if I'm going to be able to last another day at this school. I won't bother you anymore."

She fell asleep five minutes later. Thank _God._

I was finally able to think. So Ron liked me- or… at least… Hermione _thought_ he did. That was great! I was gonna come clean with myself! I liked Ron a lot. So Ron liked me, and I liked Ron. Great- what _next?_ I couldn't go out with him. We were only eleven. We were too young. I couldn't just walk up to him and tell him I liked him. I would have to wait. _That's_ what I would have to do. I would wait until _he_ told _me_.

_If h_e was gonna do that. In the words of my buddy Hermione, _"You know boys." _

We'll have to find out, won't we?

...........

DISCLAIMER: I don't own this story or these characters, except for my OC and her story line. Everything else belongs to J.K. Rowling.

...........

Author's Note: Everything in this chapter is mine, including the Chewy Flooeys. 

But Ron and Harry's conversation about flying lessons isn't mine.


	6. The Midnight Duel

The Midnight Duel

Chapter 6

............

On Thursday morning everyone was talking about flying lessons. At breakfast Hermione did nothing but go on and on about tips she'd read on flying in a library book she'd gotten called _Quidditch Through the Ages_.

"What was fact number one on page three fifty again?" Neville asked eagerly. Both he and Hermione were obviously terrified of learning to fly today. I wasn't as scared as I _should_ have been. I was perfectly relaxed, and I'd never flown on a broom stick in my _dreams,_ let alone real _life_.

"Oh, come _off _it, Neville!" Ron snapped annoyedly. "Don't you have better things to do than listen to the ramblings of this crazy girl?"

"It's _not_ rambling, Ron," I said glaring at him. "It wouldn't do you any harm to pay attention to what she's saying. These are some good tips Hermione's giving us. You'll need to listen if you want to learn to fly."

Ron flushed red. "I don't need to listen to _her_ to learn to fly," he mumbled. "My family's been flying for _years._ I'll be just as good as them."

Fred and George snickered into their hands.

Hermione was bent over in her seat, her face an even brighter red than _Ron's_. I tapped her on the shoulder and smiled encouragingly at her. She smiled weakly back and then wiped her eyes with her robe sleeve.

Harry sat there silently, staring at everyone. He was a neutral.

Suddenly an owl flew into the Great Hall and landed on the Gryffindor table. Special delivery for Neville Longbottom! Neville excitedly unwrapped a small package from his grandmother. It was a glass ball the size of a large marble, which seemed to be full of white smoke.

"What is it?" I asked curiously. Seamus put one hand on my shoulder and one hand on Dean's shoulder for balance as he stood on his tippy-toes to get a better look at the glass ball.

"It's a Rememberall," Neville explained. "Gran knows I forget things- this tells you if there's something you've forgotten to do. Look, if you hold it tight like this and if it turns red- oh…" The excitement faded from his face as the Rememberall turned scarlet. "…you've forgotten something."

"What did you forget?" Seamus asked curiously.

"You see, that's just it," Neville said, contorting his face as if he was in deep thought. "I can't remember what I've forgotten."

"Hey, look what _I've_ got," sneered Draco Malfoy, walking by the Gryffindor table and snatching the Rememberall out of Neville's hands. "I got Longbottom's Rememberall!" He, Crabbe, and Goyle cackled.

I stood up at once and lunged at him. Harry and Ron stood up right after me and lunged at him too. Draco looked at the three of us and laughed even more. "I'm so scared," he said. "It's Potter, Weasley, and their filthy, half-blooded girlfriend Perry. Whatever shall I do?"

"You shall _pay_ for what you did!" I said, reaching over to grab him by the collar of his robe.

"What's going on?" Professor McGonagall asked, running right over.

"Malfoy's got my Rememberall, Professor," Neville complained.

"Draco," McGonagall said giving Draco a stern look.

Draco scowled and quickly dropped the Rememberall back on the table. "Just looking," he said innocently and he sloped away with Crabbe and Goyle. He glared at me before he got back to the Slytherin table.

Professor McGonagall sighed and stared at Harry, Ron, and me.

"He snatched it right from Neville, Professor," I explained. "And then he called me a filthy half-blood."

"I understand, Miss Perry," McGonagall said. "But you'll have to learn to control your anger. If not, points will be taken from Gryffindor. Now take your seat. Mr. Potter. Mr. Weasley. You should do the same."

"Yes, Professor," Harry and Ron said quietly at once.

The three of us sat down as McGonagall walked off.

"Are you _crazy?"_ Hermione asked me. "You could get in deep trouble for starting a fight in the Great Hall! Really Carly, in front of everyone- including the _teachers!_ What's gotten into your head?"

"She's probably been hanging out with _you_ too much," Ron said.

Hermione glared at him for a moment, her eyes twitching with anger. Then she immediately turned away and went back to reading her book. I started glaring at Ron when Hermione stopped.

"You shouldn't try to confront Malfoy like that," Ron said to me. He lifted his hand and tried to pat me on the shoulder.

I crossed my arms, looked away, and scooted away from him.

_"Hmmph!"_ I said loudly.

"What is it with girls these days?" Ron whispered to Harry.

"I don't know," Harry said in response shaking his head.

Neither I nor Hermione spoke for the rest of breakfast.

At three-thirty that afternoon all we Gryffindors hurried down the front steps onto the grounds for our first flying lesson. It was a clear, breezy day. We marched down the sloping lawns toward a smooth, flat lawn on the opposite side of the grounds to the forbidden forest, whose trees swayed darkly in the distance.

The Slytherins were already there. I gulped when I spotted Draco Malfoy, Pansy Parkinson, Blaise Zambini, Crabbe, Goyle, and AnnaSophia. There were twenty broomsticks lying in neat lines on the ground.

Ron, who was standing at the front of the Gryffindor line, kept walking around, cluelessly trying to figure out where he should be standing. He kept walking around in circles, looking like an idiot.

"I think we stand here," Hermione said, standing still. A bunch of other Gryffindors finally stopped walking and decided to stand still too. I stood next to Hermione. Ron kept walking around, bumping into people.

_"Ron!"_ I snapped. "Just _stay_ where you are!"

He frowned at me and stood still. "Fine," he said. "Whatever."

Some Slytherins, including Draco, laughed at us.

Then Madam Hooch arrived. "Well, what are you all waiting for?" she barked. "Everyone stand by a broomstick. Come on, hurry up." We followed her orders. "Stick your right hand over your broom and say 'Up!'"

_"UP!"_ everyone shouted.

Harry, who was standing to my left, immediately got his broomstick to jump up into his hand. He looked uncomfortable when he noticed me staring at him in shock. He just smiled uneasily and then turned his attention back to his wand. "How did you do that?" I asked him.

"I'm not sure," he said with a shrug. "It just _jumped_ at me."

I wished I was having as much luck as he did. Hermione and I were both struggling. My broomstick didn't budge, and hers just rolled over on the ground. I noticed Neville's wasn't moving either, like mine. But then again it didn't really seem like Neville was _trying_ to get his broom to move.

I looked over at the Slytherins and saw that Draco had already gotten his broomstick to come to him. He was smirking arrogantly at everyone who hadn't been able to get it to work yet. Just then Ron's jumped up at him. He smiled proudly. "I got it to work," he told Harry.

"Everyone got their broom to work?" Madam Hooch asked hurriedly.

_"No!"_ I and a bunch of other kids shouted in response.

"Well, then _hurry up!"_ she demanded. "What are you waiting for?"

"For this stupid broom to move," I muttered, rolling my eyes. "Come on. Up. _Up!"_ Just then it did. I let out a long, satisfied breath and smiled to myself. Hermione's broom had just come to her two seconds before mine did. Neville was still having some trouble.

_"Now_ is everyone ready?" Madam Hooch wanted to know.

"Yes!" everyone shouted.

"It's about time," Madam Hooch scoffed, rolling her eyes. "Alright, now I'm going to show you how to mount your brooms without sliding off the end. Make it so the end of the stick is facing upward and get on top of it like you get on a horse. But hold the other end down with your foot, so it doesn't start flying before I say so." She walked down the line, correcting everyone's grip. "No, Carly, you have it _backwards,"_ she groaned.

"Oh, sorry, Madam Hooch," I apologized with a laugh. "That's my bad." I quickly corrected my position. Draco Malfoy was laughing again.

When Madam Hooch was done correcting everyone she said, "Now, when I blow my whistle, you kick off from the ground, hard. Keep your brooms steady, rise a few feet, and then come straight back down by leaning forward slightly. On my whistle- three- two-"

I closed my eyes as I rose a foot into the air. Suddenly Neville pushed off hard before Madam Hooch even blew the whistle! "Come back, boy!" she shouted after him, but Neville shot off the ground like a rocket. He was now about twenty feet into the air! Suddenly he got so scared he let go of the broom and fell right off! He hit the ground. He lay there, facedown on the grass. We all ran over to him to make sure he was okay. Madam Hooch was bending over him, checking him over.

"Broken wrist," she muttered. "Come on, boy- it's alright, up you get." She turned to the rest of the class. "None of you move while I take this boy to the hospital wing! You leave those brooms where they are or you'll be out of Hogwarts before you can say 'Quidditch.' Come on, dear."

Neville, his face tear-streaked, clutching his wrist, hobbled off with Madam Hooch, who had her arm around him. Draco approached Harry, Ron, Hermione, and I, and burst into laughter.

"Did you see his face, the great lump?" he asked.

"Shut up, Malfoy," Parvati Patil demanded.

"Ooh, sticking up for Longbottom?" said Pansy Parkinson with a large smirk on her face. "Never thought _you'd_ like fat little crybabies, Parvati."

"Hey, don't be like that, Pansy," I snapped. She smirked again.

"You think _you_ actually have something important to say, Perry?" Draco asked, staring me in the eye. "You know, to tell you the truth, I thought it was going be _you_ to fall off a broomstick."

"Why I aughta-" I said, starting at him. Hermione shook her head. Ron stepped in front of me and nodded at me, letting me know that it was okay and I didn't have to fight Draco.

"Look!" said Draco, darting forward and snatching something out of the grass. "It's that stupid thing Longbottom's gran sent him." The Rememberall glittered in the sun as he held it up.

"Give it here, Malfoy," said Harry quietly. Everyone stopped talking to see what would happen next.

Draco smiled nastily. "I think I'll leave it somewhere for Longbottom to find- how about- up in a tree?"

"Give it _here!"_ Harry yelled, but Draco had leapt onto his broomstick and taken off. Hovering around the top branch of an old oak he called, "Come and get it, Potter!"

Harry grabbed his broom and took off!

"_No!"_ shouted Hermione. "Madam Hooch told us not to move- you'll get us all into trouble!"

Hermione, me, and a bunch of other girls screamed every time Harry flew higher into the air. Ron whooped and cheered his best friend on. Harry turned his broomstick sharply to face Draco in midair. They began talking to each other. None of us could hear what they were saying. Suddenly Harry lunged at Draco, but he got out of the way! Just then Draco dropped the Rememberall into the air and started back toward the ground.

Harry started down to go after it. He stretched his hand out toward the ground and caught it! Then he got on the ground and stepped off the ground.

"HARRY POTTER!" Professor McGonagall screeched, running quickly over. Harry winced. He knew what was coming next. He was going to be expelled. McGonagall approached him. _"Never_- in all my time at Hogwarts- how _dare _you- might have broken your neck-"

"It wasn't his fault, Professor!" Parvati interrupted.

"Be quiet, Miss Patil," McGonagall said.

"But Malfoy-" Ron began.

"That's _enough,_ Mr. Weasley," McGonagall snapped. "Potter, follow me, now." Harry gulped and followed her into the castle. We all shouted after them, trying to explain what really happened.

"Save your breath, Gryffindors," Draco said, practically spitting when he said the name of our house. "He's never going to hear your cries. He's going back to wherever he came from. He can kiss Hogwarts good bye."

"You shouldn't be able to sleep tonight, Draco!" I shouted at him. "Look what you've done to Harry! None of us are gonna forgive you!"

"I don't _need_ your forgiveness, you little piece of dirt," Draco said making a face. "And at least now there's going to be one less Gryffindor student sitting in the Great Hall tonight." He paused and then said, "And if you keep bothering me, there'll be _two_ less."

Anger boiled up inside of me. Ron stepped in between me and Draco again to keep the peace. "There's no need for that now, Malfoy," he said sternly. "It's over, alright? Just let it go already."

"_Fine,"_ Draco said. "I'll let it go. Just tell your half-breed wifey to keep her big mouth shut if she ever wants to _speak_ again."

"That'll be unnecessary, Malfoy," Ron said shaking his head.

"Oh really?" Draco asked. "Watch what happens."

"_Get_ inside!" snapped Snape. He burst out of the castle door and hurried over to all the students. "Show's over. Get inside before I start deducting points. The fun is _over,_ boys and girls."

All very terrified of Snape, we all hurried toward the castle. Snape seemed to have noticed that Ron and I had been at it with Draco. He stopped the two of us before we entered the castle. "Two points from Gryffindor, Miss Perry and Mr. Weasley," he said. "We do not tolerate fighting in this school."

"But Professor-" both Ron and I started.

"_Don't_ 'but Professor' _me,"_ Snape snapped. "I saw what happened out there. You were provoking Malfoy and you _know_ it. Now if it happens again, there'll be more points taken away, and Detentions written up."

He stormed off before we could protest. We exchanged looks and rolled our eyes. Then we continued walking with the crowd. "I can't believe it," I said shaking my head. "Snape's out to get me. I _know_ he is."

"No he isn't, Carly," Hermione assured me. "He's just doing his job."

"No, that's not it, Hermione," I said shaking my head.

It was boring in the common room today. At least Ron was there, but Harry still hadn't come back. It was very quiet in the room, because everyone was waiting for him to come back. The reason we were all so eager to see him was because then we would know he didn't get expelled. But he didn't come back, so we were worried he was expelled.

"They can't just expel _Harry Potter,"_ Parvati said worriedly.

"Believe me, Parvati, they _didn't,"_ Ron said optimistically. "Don't worry. Dumbledore loved it when Harry entered this castle. He's not going to get rid of him that easily. He'll know it was Malfoy's fault."

"You're very wrong indeed," Hermione chuckled grimly. "Whether it was Malfoy's fault or not, Harry got on that broomstick and broke a _thousand_ school rules. He's being expelled as we speak."

"Hey, shut up, Miss Know It All," Ron demanded her.

Hermione's lip trembled. She immediately looked down at her lap and stopped talking. "What's wrong, Hermione?" I asked her, even though I knew very well what was wrong with her.

"We're not sitting with him at dinner," she said. "Anywhere _near_ him."

"Fine," I said, even though I wasn't fine with not sitting with Ron. "We don't have to sit with him."

"I'm tired of him and his defiance," Hermione said. "His ignorance."

"Hermione!" I said. "Don't worry. We won't sit with him."

"Alright, Gryffindors," Percy said, entering the common room. "It's time for dinner." He had a grin on his face. When we'd all lined up and walked into the hallway Percy said, "I've got a bit of news for you," he said. "Concerning Harry Potter."

"Is he expelled?" Lavender Brown asked.

"No," Percy said. "He's going to be playing Quidditch."

There was lots of excited chatter. Hermione was fuming- obviously because Ron had been right and she had been wrong.

"First years don't play Quidditch!" Seamus said confusedly.

"_Harry Potter_ is," Percy said. There was more chatter.

"What's he gonna do?" Dean Thomas asked curiously.

"Don't ask _me,"_ Percy said shaking his head. "Ask _him._ He's going to be at dinner. I assure you he'll tell you all about it."

Like everyone else, I was also curious to know what Harry was going to be doing in Quidditch, but Hermione was obviously uninterested, therefore I had to _pretend_ I was uninterested too. We sat faraway from Ron and Harry, Hermione sitting on the other side of a cute older black boy with dreadlocks named Lee Jordan. She wasn't paying much attention to the boys though. Her nose was in a book. She was studying her Charms spells.

I was looking around when I saw Draco, Crabbe, and Goyle approach Ron and Harry. I nudged Hermione in the elbow with my hand. "Look," I told her. "Draco's at it again with Ron and Harry."

"I don't care," Hermione said shaking her head. She didn't look up.

"I'd take you on anytime on my own," Draco told Harry. "Tonight, if you want. Wizard's duel. Wands only- no contact. What's the matter? Never heard of a wizard's duel before, I suppose?"

"Of course he has," Ron argued. "I'm his second, who's yours?"

"Crabbe," Draco replied, glancing back at his big friends. "Midnight alright? We'll meet you in the trophy room; that's always unlocked."

"_What?!"_ Hermione screeched, swinging around in her seat. "A wizard's duel at midnight in the trophy room?! They're _mad!_ Like they're not in enough trouble, as it is! Come on, Carly, we're going to reason with Harry Potter and his sidekick Ron _Weasel_ one last time."

She grabbed me by the wrist and yanked me over toward Harry and Ron before I could say anything.

"And what if I wave my wand and nothing happens?" Harry was asking Ron.

"Throw it away and punch him on the nose," Ron replied.

"Excuse me," Hermione said.

"Can't a person eat in peace in this place?" Ron asked.

"I couldn't help overhearing what you and Malfoy were saying-" she started, ignoring Ron and looking at Harry.

"Bet you could," Ron muttered.

"Hey, shut _up!"_ I told him. His eyes widened in surprise.

"Thank you, Carly," Hermione said. Then she turned back to Harry and continued, "-and you _mustn't _go wandering around the school, think of the points you'll lose Gryffindor if you're caught, and you're bound to be. It's really very selfish of you."

"And it's really none of your business," Harry said.

That surprised me. Harry always seemed nicer than that. I no longer cared whether he was going to be on the Quidditch team or not. _"Hey!"_ I snapped. "Yes it _is!_ This is _our_ school _too!_ And if you're caught it's gonna be _you_ that gets in trouble and not Draco, just like earlier."

"Good-bye," Ron said staring at me.

I scoffed. "You did _not_ just say that," I said angrily.

"Uh, I think I just _did,"_ Ron argued.

"That's it," I said. "That is your last straw, Ron Weasley."

"Why don't you leave us alone?" Harry asked.

"Alright, that's it, Carly," Hermione said, grabbing me by the wrist and dragging me away from Ron and Harry. "Don't bother with it now. We're going to stop them tonight. Just wait 'til tonight."

Once Percy left the corridors that night, Hermione told me to come wait with her in the common room until Ron and Harry came along. I didn't really want to do this. I wanted to stay in bed and get some sleep, but you can't reason with Hermione, if you know what I mean.

So I changed into my lime green pajamas and she changed into her pink bathrobe. We headed over to the common room and sat down on two chairs, waiting by the fireplace. It was a good couple hours before the boys came around. I almost dozed off to sleep a few times, but Hermione always kicked me in the shin whenever I did this. She made sure I was always awake. Just then she nudged me in the shoulder.

"I hear them," she whispered. "They're coming." Just then the two boys entered the room and Hermione turned a lamp on. She and I stood up. "I can't believe you're going to do this, Harry," she said.

"_You two!"_ Ron said furiously. "Go back to bed!"

"I almost told your brother," Hermione snapped. "Percy- he's a prefect, he'd put a stop to this."

But I'd been with her the whole time, and she didn't go _near_ Percy.

"You guys better get back to bed, 'cause I'm tired," I yawned.

"Come on," Harry said to Ron, staring at me for a moment. He pushed open the portrait of the Fat Lady and climbed through the hole. I was about to give up, but then Hermione grabbed me by the wrist and dragged me after them, through the portrait hole. She hissed like an angry goose. I'd never seen her so angry- though I'd seen her angry.

"Don't you _care_ about Gryffindor; do you _only_ care about yourselves? _I_ don't want Slytherin to win the house cup, and you'll lose all the points I got from Professor McGonagall for knowing about Switching Spells."

"Go away," Harry snapped at her.

"Alright," Hermione said. "But I warned you, you just remember what I said when you're on the train home tomorrow, you're so-"

We turned around to head back to the common room, but the Fat Lady was no longer in the portrait. She must have gone on a nighttime visit. Hermione and I were locked out of Gryffindor tower. "Now what am I going to do?" she asked shrilly.

"That's your problem," said Ron. "We've got to go; we're going to be late."

I almost fell asleep, but Hermione grabbed me by the wrist again and dragged me after her and the two boys. "We're coming with you," she told them.

"You are _not,"_ Ron snapped.

"D'you think I'm going to stand out here and wait for Filch to catch me?" Hermione asked. "If he finds all four of us I'll tell him the truth, that Carly and I were trying to stop you, and you can back me up."

"You've got some nerve-" said Ron sharply.

"Shut up, both of you!" said Harry sharply. "I heard something."

There was snuffling. "Mrs. Norris?" Ron asked, squinting his eyes.

It wasn't Mrs. Norris. It was Neville. He was curled up on the floor, fast asleep, but jerked suddenly awake as we crept nearer. "Thank goodness you found me! I've been out here for hours. I couldn't remember the password to get into bed."

"Keep your voice down, Neville," I told him. "The password's 'Pig snout' but it won't help you now. The Fat Lady's gone off somewhere."

"How's your arm?" Harry asked him.

"Fine," said Neville, showing us. "Madam Pomfrey mended it in about a minute."

"Good- well, look, Neville, we've gotta be somewhere. See you later."

"Don't leave me!" said Neville, scrambling to his feet. "I don't want to stay here alone; the Bloody Baron's been past twice already."

Ron looked at his watch and then glared furiously at Hermione, Neville, and me. "If any of you get us caught, I'll never rest until I've learned that Curse of the Bogies Quirrell told us about, and used it on you."

Hermione opened her mouth, perhaps to tell Ron exactly how to use the Curse of the Bogies, but Harry hissed at her to be quiet and beckoned us all forward. We darted along the corridors striped with bars of moonlight from the high windows. We quietly entered the trophy room.

There were shimmering crystal trophy cases, cups, shields, plates, and statues that winked silver and gold in the darkness. We all backed up against the wall, keeping our eyes on the doors at either end of the room, waiting for any sign of Draco or Crabbe. Harry took his wand out and held it up in front of himself. Minutes passed and nothing happened.

"He's late, maybe he's chickened out," Ron whispered.

Then a noise in the next room made us jump. Harry raised his wand when someone spoke, "Sniff around, my sweet, they might be lurking in a corner." The voice belonged to Argus Filch. He was talking to Mrs. Norris.

Harry gasped and waved madly at Ron, Hermione, Neville, and me, telling us to follow him as quickly as possible toward the door, away from Filch's voice. Then we heard Filch enter the trophy room right as Neville narrowly escaped. "They're in here somewhere," Filch said. "Hiding."

"This way!" Harry mouthed to us. We crept down a long gallery full of suits of armor. We could hear Filch getting nearer. Neville suddenly let out a frightened squeak and broke into a run- he tripped, grabbed Ron around the waist, and the two of them toppled right into a suit of armor. The clanging and crashing were enough to wake the whole castle.

"RUN!" Harry yelled, and the four of us ran down the gallery.

"Great going, Ron, by the way," I said rolling my eyes.

"_Me?!"_ he said frowning. "It was _Neville _that did it!"

"Excuses, excuses," I said shaking my head.

"What is it with girls these days?" Ron said to himself.

We didn't even look back as we galloped down every corridor. Harry led the way acting like he knew exactly where we were going, although I knew he had no idea. We found ourselves in a hidden passageway, ran through it, and wound up near our Charms classroom, which, we knew, was a good ways away from the trophy room.

"I think we've lost him," Harry panted, leaning against the cold wall and wiping his forehead. Neville was bent double, wheezing and coughing.

"I- _told_- you," Hermione gasped, clutching her chest. "I- told- you."

"We've got to get back to Gryffindor tower as quickly as possible," Ron said.

"Malfoy tricked you," Hermione said to Harry. "You realize that, don't you? He was never going to meet you- Filch knew someone was going to be in the trophy room, Malfoy must have tipped him off."

"Let's go," Harry said after a long moment's pause. Suddenly the doorknob turned and Peeves the poltergeist flew in! He let out a squeal of delight when he saw us.

"Shut up, Peeves- please- you'll get us thrown out," I said.

This just made him cackle. "Wandering around at midnight, Ickle Firsties? Tut, tut, tut. Naughty, naughty, you'll get caughty."

"Not if you don't give us away," I pointed out. "Peeves, please."

"Should tell Filch, I should," said Peeves in a saintly voice, but his eyes glittered wickedly. "It's for your own good, you know."

"Get out of the way," Ron snapped, taking a swipe at Peeves.

"STUDENTS OUT OF BED!" Peeves bellowed. "STUDENTS OUT OF BED DOWN THE CHARMS CORRIDOR!"

Ducking under Peeves, we ran for our lives, right to the end of the corridor where we slammed into a door- and it was locked. "This is it," Ron moaned, pushing helplessly at the door. "We're done for! This is the end!"

We could hear footsteps, Filch running as fast as he could toward Peeve's shouts.

"Oh, move _over!"_ Hermione snarled, pushing Ron out of her way. She grabbed Harry's wand, tapped the lock, and whispered, _"Alohomora!"_

The lock clicked and the door swung open- we piled through it, shut it quickly, and pressed our ears against it, listening.

"Which way did they go, Peeves?" Filch asked. "Quick, tell me."

"Say 'please'."

"Don't mess with me, Peeves, now _where did they go?"_

"Shan't say nothing if you don't say please," Peeves sang.

"Alright- _please."_

"NOTHING! Ha haaa! Told you I wouldn't say nothing if you didn't say please! Ha ha! Haaaaaa!" We heard the sound of Peeves whooshing away and Filch cussing in rage.

"He thinks this door is locked," Harry whispered. "I think we'll be okay- get _off,_ Neville!" Neville had been tugging on the sleeve of Harry's bathrobe for the last minute. _"What?" _

I turned around to see what Neville and everyone else was looking at. I gasped. We weren't in a room. We were in a corridor. We were in the forbidden corridor on the third floor! We were looking into the eyes of a monstrous dog, a dog that filled the whole space between ceiling and floor. It had three heads. So there were three pairs of rolling, mad eyes, three noses, and three drooling mouths, saliva hanging from its yellow fangs.

It was standing quite still, all six eyes staring at us. It must have been startled by our appearance, because it hadn't attacked us yet. But soon it growled, which meant it must have gotten over its shock.

Harry grabbed the doorknob and we fell backward. Harry slammed the door shut and we ran back down the corridor. There was no sign of Filch anywhere. Out of breath, we made it to the portrait of the Fat Lady.

"Where on earth have you all been?" she asked, looking at our flushed, sweaty faces.

"Never mind that- pig snout, pig snout," Harry panted, and the door swung forward. We scrambled into the common room, collapsing and trembling into armchairs. It was a while before any of us spoke.

"What do you think they're doing, keeping a thing like that locked up in a school?" Ron said finally. "If any dog needs exercise, that one does."

"I know, honestly," I agreed. "That's almost _criminal."_

"You don't use your eyes, any of you, do you?" Hermione snapped. "Didn't you see what it was standing on?"

"The floor?" Harry suggested. "I wasn't looking at its feet. I was too busy with its heads."

"No, _not_ the floor," Hermione said annoyedly. "It was standing on a trapdoor. It's obviously guarding something." She stood up, glaring at them. "I hope you're pleased with yourselves. We could all have been killed- or worse, _expelled._ Now, if you don't mind, I'm going to bed. Come, Carly." She grabbed me by my wrist and dragged me off to the girl's dormitories.

"I hope you're happy, Hermione," I yawned. "I really could have gone without going through all the stuff I went through tonight."

"Forgive me, Carly," Hermione said in a kinder tone of voice. "It's not you I'm angry at. You never did anything wrong. I'm sorry you had to come with me tonight. You didn't deserve any of that."

"My thoughts exactly," I muttered in agreement.

"You've got to understand something, Carly," Hermione whispered when we got back inside the girl's dormitories. "Harry Potter and Ron Weasley are going to get themselves in serious trouble if we're not there to keep them in line. Do you know what could have happened to them tonight? Even if Malfoy _did_ show up. That actually would have been _worse_. Do you know what kind of trouble they could have gotten into?"

"No," I said, climbing into my bed. "Get some sleep, Hermione."

"I can't sleep," she said shaking her head as she got into her bed.

"Why not?" I asked.

"I can't stop thinking about what happened tonight," she said. "I can't stop thinking about what trouble we could have gotten into."

"Hermione, you've said that a thousand times now," I pointed out.

"Forgive me," she said. "Good night, Carly."

"Yeah…uh… good night," I said. I just couldn't believe she was through.

"Harry and Ron are going to pay tomorrow," she said.

I _knew _it.

"Good night, Hermione," I said again.

"Good night," she repeated.

I fell asleep a few minutes later and dreamt about flying lessons. Except in the dream I was actually able to fly off the ground. But I wasn't alone on my broomstick. This time I was up on my broomstick with Harry Potter. He was steering it and I was holding onto it.

And we weren't flying anywhere near the sky. Where we were, it was very dark. It was very cold and gloomy. And we were flying toward a prison. When we reached the prison we leapt off of the broomstick and started toward a prisoner. It was a man. Before we could free him-

...........

Author's Note: The part where Neville goes, "The problem is, I can't remember what I've forgotten," is from the movie. That wasn't in the book. ;D


	7. Halloween

93

Halloween

Chapter 7

............

That Friday morning at breakfast, Hermione told me we weren't going to speak to Ron and Harry. But she said that yesterday _too,_ and you know how long she kept _that_ promise.

Six large screech owls flew into the Great Hall, carrying a long, thin package. I sat up so high in my seat that my butt was no longer touching the bench. I really wanted to see what was inside this package. Hermione looked interested too at first, until she saw that it was for Harry.

"A Nimbus Two Thousand!" Ron moaned a few minutes later. "I've never even _touched_ one."

He and Harry stood up and left the Great Hall.

Hermione slammed her school books down on the table and glared after them. "Why are they _always _wandering off?" she wanted to know.

"Relax, Hermione," I told her. "They went to the bathroom. It's not like they went to the Forbidden Forrest."

She scowled at me. She didn't find my joke funny one bit.

I turned around in my seat to see what Draco was doing at the Slytherin table. I hoped Pansy wouldn't walk up to me after breakfast and tell me she saw me spying on him again. But Draco wasn't there! "Um, Hermione, Draco isn't at the Slytherin table," I said.

Hermione turned around and noticed as well. Then she looked over at the doors to the hallway. "They really want to kill me, don't they?" she said taking a deep breath. "Come on, Carly. We're-"

"-Going after them," I finished for her. We both stood up.

Then we ran toward the double doors, into the hallway. We saw Draco standing there by the stairs, with a blank expression on his face. Ron and Harry were headed upstairs. We charged after them.

"Well, it's true," Harry laughed to Ron. "If he hadn't stolen Neville's Rememberall, I wouldn't be on the team…"

"So I suppose you think that's a reward for breaking rules?" Hermione snapped at them. The boys turned around and groaned.

"I thought you weren't speaking to us," said Harry.

"Yes, don't stop now," said Ron. "It's doing us so much good."

"There's no need for you to be nasty, guys," I said scowling.

"Well, if you'd be so kind to excuse us, we're leaving," Harry said.

"Yeah, and you and your evil friend there aren't allowed to follow us," Ron added as he and Harry continued upstairs.

Hermione marched away with her nose in the air. I followed her. "Don't worry, Hermione," I told her. "When boys call girls names, it usually means they like them."

"Yes, _usually,"_ Hermione said. "And that was back in grade school. We're practically six graders now."

I said nothing. There was no reasoning with Hermione.

On Halloween in Charms class, Professor Flitwick announced that we were finally gonna be making things fly! Neville's toad zoomed around the room. "I'm gonna put you into pairs before you actually start making things _fly!"_ the tiny professor said, frowning over at Neville and his flying frog.

Then he walked back and forth in the room, deep in thought, trying to decide who should be with who. Then he pointed at Hermione. "Hermione Granger with Ron Weasley." Neither of them looked too happy.

"Remember me as I was before I die," Hermione told me.

"I _will,"_ I assured her, patting her sympathetically on the back.

Then she and Ron both started hesitantly toward each other. Professor Flitwick continued pairing people. "Harry Potter with Seamus Finnigan." So the two of them walked over to each other. "Dean Thomas with Carly Perry," Flitwick continued.

"Great," Dean said with a smile on his face as he walked up to me.

"Yeah, cool," I said grinning.

"Now, don't forget that nice wrist movement we've been practicing!" squeaked Flitwick when every pair had received a feather. "Swish and flick, remember, swish and flick. And saying the magic words properly is very important, too- never forget Wizard Baruffio, who said 's' instead of 'f' and found himself on the floor with a buffalo on his chest."

"I don't get it," Dean said annoyedly as he kept trying to make the feather fly. "What am I supposed to do again?"

"Well, you swish and flick the wand like this," I said, demonstrating the wand movement for him. "And then you say 'Winguardian Leviosa'."

"You mean _Wingardium Leviosa,"_ Dean corrected with a chuckle.

"Oh yeah," I chuckled. "But what's the difference, really?"

"Oh, well done!" cried Professor Flitwick, clapping. "Everyone see here, Miss Granger's done it!"

I turned around to see Hermione's feather flying in the air. _"Whoo!"_ I cheered, clapping wildly. "Go Hermione!" The whole class broke into applause then- except for Ron and Harry. Ron looked miserable.

After class Hermione told me she wanted to catch up with Ron. She wanted to be nice to him for once. She wanted to tell him he tried hard on making the feather fly. "Come on, Carly," she said, dragging me by the wrist past people to get to Ron and Harry.

"It's no wonder no one can stand her," Ron said to Harry. "She's a nightmare, honestly."

Hermione let go of my hand, and tore off. She bumped into Harry on her way. I didn't catch the look on her face, but I could tell she was crying again. "Hermione!" I called after her. "Hermione, get back here!"

"I think she heard you," Harry said to Ron.

"So?" said Ron, though he looked a bit uncomfortable. "She must've noticed she's got no friends."

I reached past Harry and smacked Ron as hard as I could on the arm. "Ow!" he gasped, standing still and clutching his arm. "What was _that_ for?"

_"No friends?"_ I repeated. "Ron, _I'm _her friend!"

"Well, I'm sure you _wouldn't_ be if she wasn't so damn controlling," Ron pointed out. "She bosses you around like cattle, doesn't she? No one can stand her. Not even _you,_ I don't think. Well, go on. If you're such good friends, go after her."

"Fine, I'll do that," I gulped, heading toward the girl's bathroom. Parvati followed after me. She told me she wanted to see how Hermione was doing too. We got to the girl's bathroom. We could hear Hermione sobbing loudly. "Hermione?" I said.

"Go _away!"_ she demanded and continued crying.

Parvati looked at me sympathetically. Then she said, "Hermione, we just want to know if you're alright."

"I'm _fine,_ now go _away!"_ Hermione repeated.

"Let's go," Parvati mouthed, as she and I left the room.

I just walked with Parvati on the way to the Great Hall for Halloween breakfast. I'd never realized it before, but Parvati was a very nice girl. Suddenly Lavender Brown, who looked strangely amused, ran up to us.

"So what's the dirt on that Hermione Granger girl?" she giggled.

Parvati frowned. "She's in the bathroom. She wants to be alone."

I turned around and glared at Ron, who looked uncomfortable enough as it is.

The Great Hall was wonderfully decorated for Halloween! There were a thousand live bats flying from the walls and ceiling, jack o'lanterns, candles, and a special, new feast. I would have enjoyed it more if Hermione were sitting next to me, enjoying it with me. I was worried about her.

Suddenly Professor Quirrell ran into the room, his turban crooked and his face full of terror. "Troll- in the dungeon- thought you ought to know." Then he sank to the floor and fainted.

Everyone started screaming and getting out of their seats. It all happened so fast I didn't know _what _to do. Professor Dumbledore sent several purple firecrackers into the air to get us quiet. "Prefects!" he shouted over the noise. "Lead your houses back to the dormitories immediately!"

"Follow me! Stick together, first years!" Percy said. "No need to fear the troll if you follow my orders! Stay close behind me, now. Make way, first years coming through! Excuse me, I'm a prefect!"

"How could a troll get in?" Harry asked Ron behind me.

"Don't ask me, they're supposed to be really stupid," Ron said. "Maybe Peeves let it in for a Halloween joke." We had to make our way through a crowd of confused Hufflepuff students. Harry grabbed Ron's arm.

"I've just thought- Hermione," he said. I gasped. Hermione!

"What about her?" Ron wanted to know.

"She doesn't know about the troll," Harry pointed out.

Ron bit his lip. "Oh, alright," he snapped. "But Percy'd better not see us."

So they took off after the Hufflepuffs going the other way. I tried to go after them, but then Percy grabbed me by my shoulder. "Where do you think you're going, Carly?" he asked, raising an eyebrow at me.

"Oh, w-well I w-was j-just," I stuttered.

"That's what I thought," Percy said nodding with an amused look on his face. "Stay close, Carly. You're not leaving the group."

"B-but I-"

"But _nothing,_ Carly. You will follow orders."

I groaned as he walked back to the front of the Gryffindor line, leading us back to Gryffindor tower. A bunch of the students were carrying the breakfast they hadn't finished in their hands. When we got to the common room, half of them sat down immediately on the couch.

I sat down on the end of the couch next to Seamus. He gave me a puzzled look. "What happened to Harry and Ron?" he asked.

"I don't know," I lied, shrugging my shoulders. "They went somewhere."

"I think they're gonna get in a lot of trouble, if you ask me," he said, taking another bite from his breakfast.

I couldn't eat. I could only worry about Harry, Ron, and Hermione.

"Did Ickle Ron and Harry go off to cause more trouble?" Fred asked, not seeming to be the least bit worried about his little brother. He and George were laughing delightfully as they sat down on the couch arm next to me. "As if they haven't caused _enough_ trouble around this school."

_"You_ guys are the ones always getting in trouble," Dean pointed out.

Fred and George laughed mischievously "True," they said at once.

I stared at the ground, waiting for Percy to come in the room and give us the news on Ron, Harry, and Hermione. But he didn't even know they weren't here in the common room! What news would he have? It drove me crazy, not being there on their big adventure with them.


	8. Quidditch

Quidditch

Chapter 8

............

We were all allowed to hang out outside. It was the start of November, and the weather had changed. Now it was very cold and frosty. I had been surprised last night when Hermione entered the girl's dormitory with a big smile on her face. She told me all about the battle with the troll and that she was friends with Ron and Harry now. So we started hanging out with Ron and Harry all the time.

Hermione had even lent Harry her _Quidditch Through the Ages_ book, which would give him some tips on how to play for his first match this coming Saturday. Really, Harry did nothing _but_ read that book.

We stood in the courtyard by a blue fire Hermione had made, listening as Harry told us all the interesting facts he'd read on Quidditch. Suddenly Snape limped over to us. "What's that you got there, Potter?"

Harry lifted the book to show him. "Library books are not to be taken outside the school," Snape said. "Give it to me. Five points from Gryffindor."

Ron and I groaned as Snape limped away.

"He just made that rule up," Harry muttered. "Wonder what's wrong with his leg?"

"Dunno, but I hope it's really hurting him," Ron said bitterly.

The Gryffindor room was very noisy that evening. The four of us sat together next to a window. Hermione was checking the Charms homework for Harry, Ron, and me. She wouldn't let us copy her work.

"I'm tired of this," Harry said suddenly. "I want my book back. I'm going to go ask Snape if I can have it."

"Better you than me," Ron, Hermione, and I said together.

"Thanks, guys," Harry said as he headed toward the door.

"Do you think he's gonna die?" Ron asked after Harry left.

"Oh yeah," I said nervously.

"Not necessarily," Hermione said shaking her head. "Maybe Snape will be merciful this time. Maybe he'll give Harry his book back."

"And maybe Ron will kiss you," I said.

Ron looked uncomfortably at Hermione, but at least he didn't say anything rude. He just smiled and laughed awkwardly. Hermione did the same. Then they both glared at me when they thought I wasn't looking.

I listened as the two of them discussed what was probably happening to Harry at the moment, until he returned.

"Did you get it?" Ron asked. "What's the matter?"

"I saw Snape down in the staffroom," Harry explained. "Snape's leg was bloody and contorted. He was talking to Filch, and he didn't know I was there. He was talking about the three-headed dog. Then he saw me and demanded that I leave. You know what this means? He tried to get past that three-headed dog at Halloween! That's where he was going when we saw him- he's after whatever it's guarding! And I'd bet my broomstick _he _let that troll in, to make a diversion!"

"No- he wouldn't," Hermione said her eyes wide. "I know he's not very nice, but he wouldn't try and steal something Dumbledore was keeping safe."

"Honestly, Hermione, you think all teachers are saints or something," snapped Ron. "I'm with Harry. I wouldn't put anything past Snape. But what's he after? What's that dog guarding?"

"I don't know," I said putting my hand on Ron's shoulder for balance as I tiredly stood up. "But I'm really tired now. I'm going to bed."

On Saturday morning at breakfast everyone was looking forward to the Quidditch match. "You've got to eat some breakfast," I told Harry.

"I don't want anything," Harry said shaking his head.

"Just a bit of toast?" Hermione tried.

"I'm not hungry."

"Harry, you need your strength," said Seamus. "Seekers are always the ones getting clobbered by the other team."

"Thanks, Seamus."

At eleven o'clock the whole school seemed to be out in the stands around the Quidditch pitch. I'd gotten myself a pair of binoculars. The stands were raised high in the air, but I was told it would still be very difficult to see what was going on.

Ron, Hermione, and I joined Neville, Seamus, and Dean up in the top row. We'd painted a large banner on a sheet that said _Potter for President,_ and Dean had drawn a Gryffindor lion under the words. Hermione had performed a charm so that the paint flashed different colors.

"Ooh, there he is," I said nudging Ron in the shoulder as all the Gryffindor students got out on the field. I pointed to Harry. From up here he looked like a little speck of dust, but I still knew which one he was.

Then Madam Hooch gave a loud blast on her silver whistle.

Fifteen brooms rose up high into the air. They were off!

"And the Quaffle is taken immediately by Angelina Johnson of Gryffindor!" Lee Jordan announced. "What an excellent Chaser that girl is, and rather attractive, too-"

"JORDAN!" Professor McGonagall snapped.

"Sorry, Professor," Lee apologized. "And she's really belting along up there, a good find of Oliver Wood's, last year only a reserve- back to Johnson and- no, the Slytherins have taken the Quaffle, Slytherin Captain Marcus Flint gains the Quaffle and off he goes- Flint flying like an eagle up there- he's going to sc- no, stopped by an excellent move by Gryffindor Keeper Wood and the Gryffindors take the Quaffle- that's Chaser Katie Bell of Gryffindor there, nice dive around Flint, off up the field and- OUCH- that must have hurt, hit in the back of the head by a Bludger- Quaffle taken by the Slytherins- that's Adrian Pucey speeding off toward the goal posts, but he's blocked by a second Bludger- sent his way by Fred or George Weasley, can't tell which- nice play by the Gryffindor Beater, anyway, and Johnson back in possession of the Quaffle, a clear field ahead and off she goes- she's really flying- dodges a speeding Bludger- the goal posts are ahead- come on now, Angelina- Keeper Bletchley dives- misses- GRYFFINDORS SCORE!"

We all cheered as the Slytherins groaned.

"Budge up there, move along."

"Hagrid!" Ron and Hermione said, making room for him.

"Bin watchin' from me hut," he explained, putting on a big pair of binoculars. "But it isn't the same as bein' in the crowd. No sign of the Snitch yet, eh?"

"Nope," said Ron. "Harry hasn't had much to do yet."

"Kept outta trouble, though, that's somethin'," Hagrid pointed out.

I nodded and looked up at the sky. I saw Harry gliding over the field, waiting for any sign of the Snitch. He just flew around back and forth.

"Slytherin in position," Lee Jordan continued. "Chaser Pucey ducks two Bludgers, two Weasleys, and Chaser Bell, and speeds toward the- wait a moment- was that the Snitch?"

Harry dived downward after a streak of gold. The Seeker of the Slytherin team dove toward it too. The two of them almost rammed heads. All the Chasers had stopped playing and watched to see what would happen. Harry was faster than the other Seeker, fortunately. He charged toward the Snitch, but then Marcus Flint blocked him! I and a bunch of other Gryffindors booed as Harry flew off course. "Foul!" we screamed.

"Send him off, ref! Red card!" Dean yelled.

"What are you talking about, Dean?" Ron asked.

"Red card!" said Dean furiously. "In soccer you get shown the red card and you're out of the game!"

"But this isn't soccer, Dean," Ron pointed out.

"They oughta change the rules," Hagrid said, agreeing with Dean. "Flint coulda knocked Harry outta the air."

"So- after that obvious and disgusting bit of cheating-" Lee began.

"Jordan!" McGonagall growled.

"I mean, after that open and revolting foul-"

_"Jordan, I'm warning you-"_

"Alright, alright. Flint nearly kills the Gryffindor Seeker, which could happen to anyone, I'm sure, so a penalty to Gryffindor taken by Spinnet, who puts it away, no trouble, and we continue play, Gryffindor, still in possession."

Harry dodged another Bludger and then his broom gave a sudden lurch! I gasped and stepped forward. I thought he was going to fall. It happened again. It was like the broom was trying to knock him off! It was completely out of his control!

"Slytherin in possession- Flint with the Quaffle- passes Spinnet- passes Bell- hit hard on the face by a Bludger, hope it broke his nose- only joking, Professor- Slytherins score- oh no…"

No one had seemed to notice what Harry's broom was doing except for me. "Hagrid!" I said. "Hagrid, look at Harry."

"My, wouldja look at that," Hagrid said, squinting to get a better look at Harry. "Dunno what Harry thinks he's doing. If I didn' know better, I'd say he'd lost control of his broom… but he can't have…"

"But he _did,_ Hagrid!" I argued. "He lost control of his broom!"

"Can't have," Hagrid said after Harry swung off of his broom and dangled off of it, holding onto it with one hand. "Can't nothing interfere with a Nimbus Two Thousand except powerful Dark magic- no kid could do that to a Nimbus Two Thousand."

Just then Hermione snatched Hagrid's binoculars from him and started looking frantically at the crowd.

"What are you doing?" Ron moaned.

"I _knew _it," Hermione gasped. "Snape- look."

Ron grabbed the binoculars. I used my own to look over at Snape. He was in the middle of the stands, opposite us. His eyes were fixed on Harry, and was muttering nonstop under his breath.

"He's doing something- jinxing the broom," said Hermione.

"Why am I not surprised?" I said angrily.

"What should we do?" Ron asked frantically.

"Leave it to me," Hermione said. She disappeared. I looked again at Harry. His broom was vibrating so hard, it was almost impossible for him to hang on much longer. The whole crowd was on its feet, watching, terrified. The Weasleys flew up to try and pull Harry safely onto one of their brooms, but it was no good.

Every time they got near him, the broom would jump higher still. They dropped lower and circled beneath him, obviously hoping to catch him if he fell. Marcus Flint seized the Quaffle and scored five times without anyone noticing.

"Come on, Hermione," Ron muttered desperately. He didn't even notice that I was holding his hand.

Then we knew Hermione had done her job because the teachers opposite us were all jumping up and down, screaming. Snape was on fire! Hermione quickly scrambled back over to us with a grin on her face.

She did it! Harry was able to get back up on his broom.

"Neville, you can look!" Ron said, shoving his binoculars at him. Neville had been sobbing into Hagrid's jacket for the last five minutes.

Harry sped toward the ground when we saw him clap his hand to his mouth as though he was about to be sick. He hit the field on all fours- coughed- and something gold fell into his hand.

"I've got the Snitch!" he shouted, waving it above his head, and the game ended in complete confusion. Gryffindor had won by one hundred and seventy points to sixty.

We went to Hagrid's hut to celebrate.

"So what happened?" Harry asked. "To my broom?"

"It was jinxed," I explained.

"What?" Harry said. "By who?"

"It was Snape," Ron explained. "We saw him. He was cursing your broomstick, muttering, he wouldn't take his eyes off you."

"Rubbish," said Hagrid, who obviously hadn't heard a word of what was going on next to him in the stands. "Why would Snape do somethin' like that?"

We all exchanged looks, wondering what to tell him.

"I found out something about him," Harry explained. "He tried to get past that three-headed dog on Halloween. It bit him. We think he was trying to steal whatever it's guarding."

Hagrid dropped his teapot. "How do you know about Fluffy?"

_"Fluffy?"_ I repeated making a face.

"Yeah- he's mine- bought him off a Greek chappie I met in the pub las' year- I lent him to Dumbledore to guard the-"

"Yes?" said Harry eagerly.

"Now, don't ask me anymore," said Hagrid gruffly. "That's top secret, that is."

"But Snape's trying to _steal_ it," I pointed out.

"Rubbish," said Hagrid again. "Snape's a Hogwarts teacher; he'd do nothin' of the sort."

"So why did he just try and kill Harry?" cried Hermione. "I know a jinx when I see one, Hagrid; I've read all about them! You've got to keep eye contact, and Snape wasn't blinking at all, I _saw_ him!"

"I'm tellin' yeh, yer wrong!" said Hagrid. "I don't know why Harry's broom acted like that, but Snape wouldn' try an' kill a student! Now listen to me, all four of yeh, yer meddlin' in things that don't concern yeh. It's dangerous. You forget that dog, an' you forget what it's guardin', that's between Professor Dumbledore an' Nicolas Flamel-"

_"Aha!"_ said Harry. "So there's someone named Nicolas Flamel involved, is there?"

Hagrid looked furious with himself.

_"No," _he said. "Get goin' now. It's almost dinnertime."

We all exchanged looks and rolled our eyes as we left the hut.

............

Authors Note: Keep reading. It'll get better.


	9. Christmas

Christmas

Chapter 9

............

Christmas was coming. One morning in mid-December, Hogwarts woke to find itself covered in several feet of snow. The lake was frozen solid and the Weasley twins were back to their old tricks.

"Take a look at this, Carly," Fred said one day. I ran over to him and his twin brother to see what they'd done. "Look at this." He was pointing to several snowballs in front of him that were floating in the air. I started laughing and waited to see what would happen next. He pointed to them with his wand and they began following Professor Quirrell, bouncing off the back of his turban. The twins and I cackled. Professor Quirrell turned around with an angry look on his face.

"W-Weasleys!" he bellowed. "P-Perry! T-three p-points will be t-taken from G-Gryffindor for your prank!"

"Ah man," the three of us groaned, rolling our eyes.

Things got more annoying when Potions started. I was unused to how cold it was in that classroom. The Gryffindor common room and the Great Hall were so cozy with warm fires, but all the dungeon rooms, like Snape's, were freezing cold. Hermione and I shivered.

"I do feel so sorry," said Draco Malfoy, "for all those people who have to stay at Hogwarts for Christmas because they're not wanted at home." He was looking over at Harry as he spoke. Crabbe and Goyle laughed. Harry shook his head.

"Don't listen to him, Harry," I whispered to him.

"Don't worry," he said in response. "I'm _not."_

"Hey," Draco said. "I think Potter's going to be replaced as Seeker by a wide-mouthed tree frog." But no one laughed at his joke, so he shut up and lowered his head for the rest of the class period.

"So, where are you going for Christmas?" I asked Harry curiously.

"I'm staying here," Harry replied. "Like Malfoy said."

"I'm sorry," I said sympathetically.

"No, I'm _excited,"_ Harry said. "It's much better than spending another holiday with Uncle Vernon, Aunt Petunia, and Dudley."

"Oh," I said nodding. "That's good." I had no idea who Uncle Vernon, Aunt Petunia, and Dudley were, but they didn't sound too friendly.

After Potions we left the dungeons and found a large fir tree blocking the corridor ahead. Two enormous feet sticking out of the bottom and a loud puffing sound told us that Hagrid was behind it.

"Hi, Hagrid, want any help?" Ron asked.

"Nah, I'm alright, thanks, Ron."

"Would you mind moving out of the way?" Draco barked, coming up from behind us. "Are you trying to earn some extra money, Weasley? Hoping to be gamekeeper yourself when you leave Hogwarts, I suppose- that hut of Hagrid's must seem like a palace compared to what you're family's used to."

Ron lunged at him and grabbed him by his robes.

"WEASLEY!" Snape shouted, hurrying over. Ron groaned and let go.

"He was provoked, Professor Snape," said Hagrid, sticking his huge hairy face out from behind the tree. "Malfoy was insultin' his family."

"Be that as it may, fighting is against Hogwarts rules, Hagrid," said Snape silkily. "Five points from Gryffindor, Weasley, and he be grateful it isn't more."

"That isn't fair, Professor…" I said.

Snape gave me an evil glare, letting me know I should be quiet. "…Yeah…" I said, lowering my head.

"Move along, all of you," Snape said. Draco, Crabbe, and Goyle rushed roughly past the tree, scattering needles everywhere and smirking. Snape left after giving Ron, Harry, and me a long, cold stare.

"I'll get him," said Ron, referring to Draco. "One of these days, I'll get him."

"I hate them both," Harry said. "Malfoy and Snape."

"Come on, cheer up, it's nearly Christmas," said Hagrid. "Tell yeh what, come with me an' see the Great Hall, looks a treat."

So Ron, Harry, Hermione and I followed Hagrid and his tree off to the Great Hall, where Professor McGonagall and Professor Flitwick were busy with the Christmas decorations.

"Ah, Hagrid," Professor McGonagall said, relieved. "The last tree- put it in the far corner, would you?"

The hall looked spectacular. Holly and mistletoe hung all around the walls and no less than twelve towering Christmas trees stood around the room, sparkling with tiny icicles.

"How many days left you got until yer holiday?" Hagrid asked.

"Just one," said Hermione. "And that reminds me- Harry, Ron, Carly, we've got half and hour before lunch, we should be in the library."

"Oh yeah, you're right," said Ron.

"The library?" said Hagrid, following us out of the hall. "Just before the holidays? Bin keen, aren't yeh?"

"Oh, we're not working," Harry told him brightly. "Ever since you mentioned Nicolas Flamel we've been trying to find out who he is."

"You _what?"_ Hagrid looked shocked. "Listen here- I've told yeh- drop it. It's nothin' to you what that dog's guardin'."

"We just want to know who Nicolas Flamel is, that's all," said Hermione.

"And we're just gonna keep looking, if you'll excuse us," I added.

"Unless…" Harry said. "Unless you'd like to tell us and save us the trouble? We've been through hundreds of books already and we can't find him anywhere- just give us a hint- I know I've read his name somewhere."

"I'm sayin' nothin'," said Hagrid flatly.

"Just have to find out for ourselves, then," said Ron and we left Hagrid, and headed to the library.

We had indeed been searching books for Flamel's name ever since Hagrid had let it sleep, because how else were we going to find out what Snape was trying to steal? The trouble was, it was very hard to know where to begin, not knowing what Flamel might have done to get himself into a book. He wasn't in _anything_ we'd seen so far.

Hermione took out a list of subjects and titles she had decided to search while Ron looked down a row of books and started pulling them off the shelves at random. Harry wandered over by the Restricted section. I lazily scanned over a shelf with my eyes. I was getting bored of this. Hermione, Ron, and Harry all cared more about Flamel than I did. Suddenly Harry left the library. The librarian Madam Pince had made him.

Five minutes later Hermione told Ron and me we were leaving. So we left the library and went to lunch. "You will keep looking while we're away, won't you?" she said to Harry and Ron. "And send me an owl if you find anything."

"And you could ask your parents if they know who Flamel is," said Ron. "It'd be safe to ask them."

"Very safe, as they're both dentists," Hermione chuckled.

"You're going home for the holidays?" I asked her. "Me too."

"Oh, Carly, we have to stay in touch over the holidays," Hermione insisted. "We must send each other owls all the time. We should even go to each other's houses and have a gift exchange. We'll have a great time."

"Okay," I said. "Yeah, I don't mind introducing you to my family." And I certainly didn't mind being introduced to her family, since her parents were only dentists and not arrogant wizards like Draco lived with.

Hermione and I rode on the train back to King's Cross Station, where my father would be waiting for me. My mother and brother would probably be there too. So maybe I'd get a chance to introduce Hermione to my family when I got off the train.

"What's it like?" Hermione asked me. "The holidays in New York?"

"It's great," I replied. "There's a giant tree at Rockefeller Center that my brother and I always ice skate by. There's tons of toy stores beautifully decorated for Christmas. There's no place like New York in December."

"It sounds wonderful," Hermione said.

Draco Malfoy passed our compartment and stood in the doorway, practically blocking anyone from coming in or getting out. He had a big smirk on his face. "What's this I hear?" he snickered. "You half-bloods and muggle-borns discussing the holidays where you're from? How _quaint."_

"Leave us alone, Draco," I growled, scowling at him.

"Oh, wow, I'm terrified _now,"_ Draco said, coming into the room. "Maybe you'll have your mudblooded father come and teach me a lesson or two. You know how easy that is, don't you, Miss Hermione Granger?"

"Get out of here!" Hermione said, glaring at him.

"Excuse me," Neville said trying to get past Draco. "May I get by? I want to sit here."

Draco let him pass and then laughed at Hermione.

"I suppose you're gonna get married to Longbottom once you come of age- or _before,"_ Draco said looking at her. She continued to glare at him. Draco smirked. "He'll be the perfect asset to your _great_ family line, _huh?"_

"Get out of here, Malfoy!" Hermione yelled, lifting one of her school books over head like she was going to throw it at his head.

Draco made it for the doorway, laughing. Before he left he gave me an evil look and said, "Merry Christmas, Carly Perry."

Neville sat down next to Hermione. "Why's he so mean?" he asked sheepishly. "He starts bashing me when all I want to do is sit down somewhere."

"Don't worry, Neville," Hermione said. "It isn't your fault."

"Yeah," I said still frowning at the doorway though Draco had disappeared. "He's just a miserable nobody, alright?"

The train arrived at King's Cross Station. Hermione and I headed toward the exit of the train. We got off and I saw my brother Austin standing there, waiting for me. His blond hair had gotten a bit longer and shaggier, and he was wearing a blue jean jacket and blue jean pants. He grinned when he saw Hermione and I run over to him. "Hi," he said.

"Hi, Austin," I said. "This is my best friend Hermione Granger."

"Pleased to meet you," Hermione said shaking his hand.

"You too," Austin said smiling. "Glad midget made a friend."

"Hey," I laughed gently pushing him in the shoulder. "Wait, where are Mom and Dad?"

"They really wanted to be here," Austin said. "But Mom had an extremely important business meeting and she wouldn't have been able to have survived it if she didn't bring Dad along too. So I'm here to help you get home. Dad gave me the Floo powder." He looked at Hermione. "You wanna come too?"

"I would love to, but my parents will be very worried if I don't get home right away," Hermione explained politely. "But thank you."

"So this is that muggle brother of yours we've all been hearing about, Perry, is he not?" Draco asked, walking up to me and practically spitting in my face. He turned to Austin and smirked at him. It was a rather sad sight, since the top of Draco's head didn't even reach Austin's shoulders. Austin looked awfully confused. Draco said, "Let's just say he wasn't born fortunate as you, Carly; at least _you're_ halfblooded, though that is not saying much, mind you. He was born _completely_ worthless, _wasn't_ he?"

"Oh, wow, look," Austin said. "It's the attack of the evil munchkin. Is he supposed to be half wizard- half _elf _or something?"

Hermione and I giggled.

Draco gave Austin a look like he wanted to wring his neck or something. "You _dare _say I'm half elf!" he shouted. "You filthy muggle." With that, he marched off.

Neville came up from behind us. He looked at Austin like he was crazy. "You just insulted Draco Malfoy," he said in shock.

"Oh, is that what his name was?" Austin asked. "I could've sworn that was Darth Vader. Anyway, come on, Carly. Let's go home."

"Alright," I said. "Bye, Hermione." I gave her a big hug. "Bye, Neville." Then I gave him a big hug. "I'll send ya'all owls. I love ya'all." I blew kisses at them. They laughed and then I followed Austin over toward a fireplace where we used Floo powder. Of course I had to share some powder with Austin, since he wasn't magic, and he wouldn't have been able to get home if he didn't share with me.

We arrived at our apartment. Mom and Dad had gotten there first.

"Carly!" Mom said excitedly running over to me and giving me a huge hug. "You've gotten taller! Your hair's gotten longer! I haven't seen you in a long time now. How did you like Hogwarts?"

"Yeah, I loved it," I said. "It was really, really great."

"I wanna hear all about it tonight," Dad said, walking over to me with a smile on his face. He gave me a big hug and stroked my hair. "Josie, cook up something delicious for our little superstar, wouldja?" he asked. Mom and Austin walked over to the kitchen to make dinner for me.

That evening Dad and I sat on the swing-chair out on the balcony of our apartment. Mom and Austin were inside playing Christmas music. I hadn't even noticed how the apartment was decorated yet. There was a beautiful tree and tons of presents under it. There were lights, snow globes, garland, tinsel, and holly everywhere you could turn.

Mom came out to the balcony briefly and handed both Dad and I some ginger ale. She left right away though because she knew Dad wanted to hear all about Hogwarts without anyone else nearby.

"So, talk to me," Dad said, taking a sip from his ginger ale.

"Well, I introduced Austin to two of my friends at King's Cross Station," I explained. "Hermione Granger and Neville Longbottom."

"Neville Longbottom," Dad repeated, sounding interested. "Is he the son of Alice and Frank Longbottom?"

"Um, I don't know," I chuckled. "Maybe."

"Must be," Dad said. "Those are the only Longbottom's I know of to have ever gone to Hogwarts."

"But Austin met Draco Malfoy too," I said grimly.

Dad frowned. "Oh, the Malfoy's. Not a very friendly bunch."

"You know them?" I asked.

"Yes," he said. "I don't remember whether I went to school with them or not, but I know that after I graduated Hogwarts I stayed in England to apply for a job at the Ministry, but Lucius kept telling me 'they don't hire mudbloods at the Ministry', so I moved back to America."

"Oh, Dad," I said, my heart sinking. "You shouldn't have given up on your dream just because Malfoy…" My voice trailed off. Draco probably knew all about that story. He probably knew all about how his father scared my father away from doing the things he wanted to do. Maybe that was why Draco was always walking all over me.

"I also wanted to teach Defense Against the Dark Arts at Hogwarts," Dad added. "But of course, Lucius told me that only pureblooded wizards are supposed to teach Defense Against the Dark Arts."

"Dad, why?" I asked shaking my head sadly.

"Dumbledore said he would have _loved_ to have me teach it," Dad continued, his eyes watering up as if this all happened yesterday. "But I knew there'd be more of those that hate muggle-borns like Malfoy, and I would be slandered every time I entered that classroom. So I gave up."

"Dad, you shouldn't-"

"No, no, no, it's alright," he said. "Tell me about _your _time."

"Well," I said. "I also had two other friends named Ron Weasley and Harry Potter-"

"Harry Potter!" he said excitedly. "The Boy Who Lived! You mean to tell me, you are friends with the son of James and Lily Potter?"

"Well, _probably,"_ I said.

"You _are!"_ he said. "That's so neat because I was a good friend of both James and Lily back when I attended school at Hogwarts and now you're friends with their son! Remember when I mentioned James Potter, Sirius Black, Remus Lupin, and Peter Pettigrew to you?"

"Yeah," I said, vaguely remembering that from the day Dad and I shopped together for my school supplies at Diagon Alley.

"Well, they were a quartet," Dad explained. "And I was real close friends with all four of them- not Pettigrew as much as the others."

"Yeah. And?" I asked curiously.

"Well, they never really considered me a member of their foursome," Dad said. "But they always thought of as me a _fifth_ member of their group. We had so much fun together. We were wild; always making pranks. Like on Severus-" He glanced at me and paused. "I mean, yeah," he said.

"Severus _who,_ Dad?" I asked. "Severus… _Snape?"_

"Oh _no,"_ Dad said nervously. _"Another_ Severus."

I decided to let it go. "So you were saying…?"

"Sirius Black was like a brother to me," Dad went on. "We were always playing Quidditch and spying on girls. Lupin was a real good friend of mine too, and so was Potter. In fact, Sirius is your godfather."

"He's my godfather?" I asked. "Then how come I never see him?"

"Well, you _used_ to," Dad told me. "He used to come around all the time when you were really young, but _then_…" He looked nervous again.

"What, Dad?" I wanted to know. "What happened?"

"He got arrested and taken to Azkaban for murdering Peter Pettigrew… and many others," Dad said making a face.

"So my godfather's a killer?" I asked nervously. How come I'd never been told any of this before?

"Yes…" Dad said slowly. "But we didn't find out until after He-Who-Must-Not-Be-Named murdered James and Lily Potter. Sirius also had another godchild; _Harry Potter._ You and your friend share a godfather. Some say he's still after both of you- but don't worry. Please don't worry about it, Carly. He's trapped in Azkaban. He won't get anywhere near you."

"I hope not," I mumbled. It was Christmastime, and I didn't want to waste it worrying about my crazy, murderous godfather wanting to kill me.

"I didn't want this to result in me talking about _me,"_ Dad said. "Tell me more about _your_ year so far. I'll shut my mouth."

"Okay," I said, not sure whether I wanted to tell him about my year or ask him to elaborate on everything he'd just told me. "So I met Hermione on the train to Hogwarts. She helped me search for Neville's toad. And as it turned out, Hermione's muggle-born like _you,_ Dad. Her parents are dentists."

"Oh," Dad said suddenly seeming more interested in Hermione Granger. "Well, I'm glad there's someone else out there like me."

I continued, "And then we stumbled upon Ron Weasley and Harry Potter, whom I'd actually met back at Madam Malkin's when I was shopping for my robes."

"Harry Potter was at Madam Malkin's?" Dad asked, his eyes widening. "You'd think I would have recognized him. He looked just like his father; except for he had his mother's eyes… and the _scar."_

"The scar?" I repeated curiously.

"He got the scar from Lord Voldemort," Dad said. "He got it on the night his parents were killed… but anyway, continue." I couldn't believe he was telling me to continue after putting so many questions in my head.

"So I got chosen for Gryffindor, anyway," I said. "And I was thankful for that because the Sorting Hat told me I had the qualifications to be placed in Gryffindor, Hufflepuff, _and_ Slytherin."

"Slytherin?" Dad asked uncomfortably.

"But I was more qualified for Gryffindor and Hufflepuff," I assured him. He looked more relaxed. "And all week," I went on, "Hermione kept annoying me over Ron Weasley. She had an obvious crush on him, even though she denied it. I just _know_ she liked him. But then on Halloween Ron and Harry decided to be friends with us. And so we went to Harry's Quidditch game. He was a Seeker-"

"_A Seeker?"_ Dad said in surprise. "But he's a first year!"

HH

"Well, I don't know exactly how it happened," I said.

"Probably because of his talent," Dad suggested. "He did survive the curse of an evil wizard." Before I could open my mouth to ask him to explain what he meant by that, he said, "Continue."

"Snape jinxed Harry's broom during the game," I said. "I don't know why he did that, but Snape doesn't seem to like Harry or me much."

Dad looked guilty. He lowered his head. "How's he treating you?"

"Well, he hasn't really _done_ anything," I assured him. "He's just sarcastic and stuff like that. What? Do you have any explanation?"

"No," Dad said quickly shaking his head. "Go on."

"Fine," I said taking a deep breath. "Hagrid said something about a guy named Nicolas Flamel, but refused to give us any information on him, so that's what we've been up to lately. Harry, Ron, and Hermione have been dragging me to the library every day, in search of a book on Nicolas Flamel, even though I could care less. Do you know anything about him?"

Dad shook his head. "I'm sorry, sweetie," he apologized. "I've never heard of a guy named Nicolas Flamel."

"That's alright, Dad," I assured him with a sigh. "I guess I'm just gonna have to keep going to the library to find out. So much reading makes my brain hurt."

Dad chuckled and reached over to give me a hug. "Don't talk like that, Carly," he told me. "Your grades are what's keeping you in Hogwarts. How good are you at your magic, by the way?"

"Honestly, not so great, Dad," I said. "I just haven't gotten the hang of this wand-waving thing yet. Teachers are always telling me I'm doing things the wrong way, and my mind isn't set in the school work yet. I'm still trying to keep the peace between Ron and Hermione. I can't focus on my school work."

Dad looked concerned. "That's gonna have to change," he said. Then he lightened up. "But we don't have to worry about that right now. Christmas is coming, right?"

"Right," I said. The two of us headed inside for dinner.

On Christmas morning we all opened our presents. I'd gotten more presents than I'd ever gotten on Christmas- especially from Mom- probably because she missed me so much. Then I opened a package full of Chocolate Frogs. "Who got me this?" I asked myself curiously. I read the card that came along with the package.

Carly, I hope you are having a Merry Christmas. And I hope you love the frogs. I hope to see you before school starts again. You're the best friend I've ever had. Sincerely, Hermione Granger.

The handwriting was so neat it was hard for me to read. The only things I'd really caught were 'I hope to see you before school starts again' and 'Hermione Granger'. "Who's it from, sweetie?" Mom asked, not looking too happy as one of the frogs hopped onto the coffee table.

"Hermione," I said feeling guilty. "I didn't get her a present! Dad, I'm gonna need some Floo powder right away! I need to visit Hermione!"

"What are you going to give her?" Dad asked.

I didn't answer. I ran over to my room and grabbed a box of lollipops. Then I ran back into the living room, up to Dad. "Here," I said. "I'm going to give her a box of lollipops."

"We don't have to give them to her in _person,"_ Dad laughed. "We can just send an owl."

"No, Dad," I said. "I feel bad. She's probably opening all her presents right now, and not finding anything from me. I have to apologize. Come on." I grabbed his hand and headed toward the door.

"But it's _Christmas,"_ Mom said helplessly. Austin just stared.

Dad and I got to the fireplace in the nearby hotel and wound up in England. We wound up by a dentist office. Something told me we wound up there because Hermione was in there. Why would her parents be working on Christmas day?

I walked inside and found Hermione sitting by a little Christmas tree in the waiting room of the office. She was hanging a candy cane on the branches. "Hermione," I said walking up to her.

"Carly," she said, looking a bit surprised to see me there.

"I have your present," I said smiling. I handed the lollipops to her. She looked at them puzzled.

"Uh, thanks," she said. "You could have delivered it by owl."

"But you said you wanted to see me before January," I pointed out.

"True," she said. "But now wasn't really the best time. My mum's in there giving a patient a root canal. My parents are the only two people working in the city because one patient couldn't wait till tomorrow to get this procedure done. Impatient people." She shook her head annoyedly.

"I'm sorry," I said sympathetically. My dad entered the room.

"Hello," he said smiling. "You must be Hermione Granger."

"I am," she said politely. "I met your son the other day. He's nice."

"Well, yes," Dad said. "Why aren't you home? It's Christmas."

"My parents are working extra hours," Hermione explained.

"Oh," Dad said nodding.

"Oh, by the way, Hermione, did I mention to you that my dad was born a muggle, just like _you?"_ I asked, trying to strike up a conversation.

Dad and Hermione both forced pained smiles. "Yes," Hermione said. "You may have mentioned that a couple times."

"Bye, Hermione," I said heading toward the door. "I have to get home. My mom's probably wondering where I am now."

"Bye, Carly," Hermione said in response. "See you at school."

When Dad and I were back in New York, Dad seemed embarrassed. "It's considered rude to discuss wizard-types in public, Carly," he told me.

"Oh," I said flushing red. "I'm sorry. I was just trying…"

"I know, Carly," he said. "I know you're still new to all this wizarding stuff. I'm just trying to give you a heads-up."

We got home and continued opening presents. Then we went down to Times Square to look at all the holiday decorations. After that we went home and Austin went to his bedroom to read his comic books. Mom sat in front of the Christmas tree with Dad for a few hours. Dad finally walked over to me and said, "Come with me. I want to show you something."

So I followed him to his office which was next to the Master bedroom. He opened one of his desk drawers. "Moving pictures," he said. "I don't hang them around the house, because you know how your human mother and brother would freak out." He chuckled. He took out a bunch of moving pictures and set them out on his desk.

The first picture was of my dad looking like a teenager. There were four other teens with him. They were obviously James Potter, Sirius Black, Remus Lupin, and Peter Pettigrew. James looked just like Harry. In the picture all four boys were waving at the camera and sticking their tongues out. "You guys really were jokesters," I chuckled.

"Yeah," Dad said. "That was a candid for the yearbook.

The next few pictures were of Sirius Black holding me as a baby in his lap on a couch. "That was before you were baptized," Dad told me.

Before I looked at the last picture, Dad said, "I know this last picture's going to interest you the most."

I nodded. I looked at it. I gasped! It was a picture of baby me on a couch next to another baby that looked _exactly_ like Harry Potter! He had the same face, the same hair, and the same eyes. "You were one year old there," Dad told me. "Harry was just a few months under. That was just months before Voldemort came and…" His voice trailed off.

"Killed his parents," I finished for him. "Yeah, that makes sense. Dad, I think I'm gonna take this photo with me back to Hogwarts. Maybe Harry will find it interesting if I show it to him."

I stuck the photo into one of my bags I was gonna take to Hogwarts.

Dad looked at me long and hard. "Carly," he said. "I have something to tell you. I don't know easy it is for me to tell you."

"Tell me," I said waiting patiently.

"We were _there_ the night Voldemort killed the Potter's," Dad said.

My eyes widened. "Like… there in the _house_ with them?"

"No," Dad said shaking his head. "You see, we were supposed to have arrived earlier. We were going to Godric's Hollow to celebrate Halloween, and we were running late. We were in England already, so we decided it would be a waste of time to use Floo powder. So we drove. And we didn't make it in time. We arrived at Godric's Hollow right after James and Lily died and Voldemort disappeared. We found Harry sitting in his room, with the lightning bolt scar on his forehead. Oh, Carly, you were much too young to remember any of this right now. So I contacted Dumbledore and told him about what had happened. The news traveled quickly, and Dumbledore offered for us to keep Harry and raise him. But I told him no, because it would put you and Austin in danger. So Dumbledore dumped Harry with his wretched aunt and uncle."

Wow. I couldn't believe it. I was there on that famous night!

"Why are you crying, Dad?" I wanted to know.

"If we'd gotten there sooner, we might have had a chance of saving them," Dad pointed out. "But if not, if we'd gotten there sooner, Voldemort could have killed _you._ You and your brother and your mother."

He put his head in his hands and continued crying.

"It's okay, Dad," I said. "Don't worry. It's not your fault."

"And Sirius Black did it!" Dad added. "Sirius Black turned his back on the Potter's and told Voldemort where they were, and to kill them. He betrayed _all_ of us. But he's doing his time. He's doing his time, alright."

That night I had a strange dream. It was about Harry and me. We were standing in a large room full of potions and crystal balls. We were standing in the middle of the room, armed with our wands. Suddenly there was loud man's laughter. Then a hideous man with a snake-like face appeared in front of us and pointed his wand at Harry! He shouted a spell, but Harry was too quick for him. He shouted a powerful spell back, knocking the wand out of the snake-like man's hands.

But then the man ran over to fetch his wand and noticed me. He laughed evilly. Then he pointed his wand at me and shouted the spell again. I held my wand up and shouted it too, but he was so powerful that his spell knocked my wand out of _my_ hands. "Haha," the man said. "Why are _you_ at Hogwarts? You can't even do your spells right."

Then he pointed his wand at defenseless me, and a bright green light came toward me.

...........

Author's Note: You learn a little bit more about Carly and her family in this chapter.


	10. Nicholas Flamel

124

Nicolas Flamel

Chapter 10

............

Hermione and I both arrived at Hogwarts the day before term started. "I searched for a book on Nicolas Flamel," Harry told us, as we sat alone with him and Ron at the Gryffindor table in the Great Hall. "And I couldn't find anything. But I went looking for one every night-"

"If Filch had caught you!" Hermione interrupted in outrage.

"He didn't," Harry said with a smile. "I got an Invisibility cloak for Christmas."

Hermione lightened up. "Oh, so did you find anything?"

"No," Harry said shaking his head.

"Oh." Hermione looked glum.

"Do we really have to talk about Nicolas Flamel right now?" I asked annoyedly. "Can't we talk about something _else?"_ I reached into my bag. I was thinking of showing Harry the picture of us as babies.

"Well, Carly, this is kind've important right now," Ron pointed out.

I rolled my eyes and decided not to show Harry the photo yet.

The next day when term started, we were in the library, looking for books on Flamel again. I hurried over to Harry, who was finally alone. I wanted to show him the photo of us today.

"Hi, Harry," I said.

"Hi," he replied with a smile.

"Can I talk to you about something?" I asked him. I had my hand inside my bag, reaching for the photo.

"Yeah, sure," Harry said. I had his full attention.

"Harry!" Seamus Finnigan shouted, sticking his head in the doorway. "Oliver Wood's calling for you. You need to get to Quidditch practice right away."

"Oh, alright," Harry groaned. "I'm sorry, Carly. Why don't we talk at dinner, alright?"

"Alright," I said forcing a pained smile. I didn't want to talk at dinner. I kinda wanted to talk to him while we were alone. I watched him leave the library, and then I walked over to Ron and Hermione. I went back to the common room with them and watched them play chess. They played a thousand rounds, and Hermione never won any of them.

"How much longer am I gonna watch you two play this?" I asked in a bored tone of voice.

"Until I win," Hermione replied.

"Which isn't gonna happen," Ron laughed.

Then Harry sat down next to us. "Hi, guys," he said.

"Don't talk to me for a minute," Ron said. "I need to concen-"

"Harry!" I gasped, taking a look at his face.

Ron looked too. "What's the matter with you? You look terrible."

"Snape's refereeing the next game of Quidditch," Harry explained. _"All of a sudden,"_ he added in a mocking tone of voice.

"Don't play," Hermione said at once.

"Say you're ill," Ron said.

"Pretend to break your leg," Hermione suggested.

"_Really_ break your leg," Ron said. I hit him in the arm. _"What?"_

"I can't," Harry said. "There isn't a reserve Seeker. If I back out, Gryffindor can't play at all."

Neville toppled into the common room, his legs stuck together.

"It was the Leg-Locker curse," Neville explained as everyone else in the room but Hermione and I laughed wickedly. "I had to bunny-hop my whole way here."

"Hey, _quiet!"_ I snapped at all the laughers while Hermione performed the countercurse, getting Neville back to normal.

"Who did it?" Hermione asked him.

"Malfoy," Neville said shakily. "I met him outside the library. He said he'd been looking for someone to practice that on."

"Go to Professor McGonagall!" Hermione said. "Report him!"

"I don't want more trouble," Neville said shaking his head.

"Don't worry, Neville," I said. _"I'll_ take care of Draco."

"No, Carly," Ron said. "You've got to stand up to him, Neville! He's used to walking all over people, but that's no reason to lie down in front of him and make it easier."

Yeah, like my father did for his father.

Harry took a Chocolate Frog out of his pocket and handed it to Neville, who looked like he was about to cry. "You're worth twelve of Malfoy," he told him. "The Sorting Hat chose you for Gryffindor, didn't it? And where's Malfoy? In stinking Slytherin."

Neville smiled weakly as he unwrapped the frog. "Thanks, Harry… I think I'll go to bed… D'you want the card, you collect them, don't you?" He handed Harry the card and walked away.

"Dumbledore again," Harry said. "He was the first one I ever-"

He gasped as he stared at the back of the card. Then he looked up at Ron, Hermione, and me. _"I've found him!"_ he whispered. "I've found Flamel! I told you I'd read the name somewhere before, I read it on the train coming here- listen to this: 'Dumbledore is particularly famous for his defeat of the dark wizard in Grindelwald in 1945, for the discovery of twelve uses of dragon's blood, _and his work on alchemy with his partner, Nicolas Flamel!" _

"Oh, wow, wouldja look at that," I said. I was more interested in getting up and leaving the common room to go kick Draco's butt. Hermione jumped to her feet. She looked so excited. Wow.

"Stay here!" she said and she ran to the girl's dormitories.

Harry and Ron exchanged bewildered looks just when Hermione came back, holding a large, old book in her arms. "I never thought to look in here!" she whispered excitedly. "I got this out of the library weeks ago for a bit of light reading."

"_Light?"_ Ron repeated.

"Shush!" Hermione snapped. She flipped frantically through the pages. "I knew it! I _knew_ it!" she said when she found what she'd been looking for.

"Are we allowed to speak yet?" Ron asked grumpily.

"Nicolas Flamel," Hermione whispered dramatically. "Is the _only known maker of the Sorcerer's Stone!" _

"The what?" said Harry and Ron.

"Oh, _honestly,_ don't you two read? Look- read that, there."

I waited until they were done reading the paragraph. "See?" Hermione said. "The dog must be guarding Flamel's Sorcerer Stone! I bet he asked Dumbledore to keep it safe for him, because they're friends and he knew someone was after it, that's why he wanted the Stone moved out of Gringotts!"

"A stone that makes gold and stops you from ever dying," said Harry. "No wonder Snape's after it. _Anyone_ would want it."

"And no wonder we couldn't find Flamel in that _Study of Recent Developments in Wizardry_," said Ron. "He's not exactly recent if he's six hundred and sixty-five, is he?"

"Yeah, that's great, guys," I said. "Now that we know who he is, can we move on?"

The three of them exchanged pitying looks. _"What?"_ I asked.

The next morning as the four of us walked to Quirrell's class together, all they could talk about was the Sorcerer's Stone. "Guys, this is great but I really want to start talking about something else," I said.

"Then you don't have to talk to us," Ron said bluntly.

Harry and Hermione both hit him on the arm. "Ow," he said.

"S-sit down, s-students," Quirrell said. "T-today you will be c-copying down d-different ways of t-treating werewolf b-bites." He wrote a paragraph down on the board, and we all started copying them.

"I would use the Elixir of Life if I had the Stone," Ron said to Harry.

"I would do other things with it," Harry began. "I would-"

"Shut up," I told them. "I'm trying to concentrate."

They were quiet for a few minutes until Ron said, "I would buy my own Quidditch team."

I set my quill pen down and turned around to face him. "If you-"

"I just remembered!" Harry gasped. "The Quidditch match!"

"You don't have to play, Harry," Hermione said.

"I'm going to play," Harry said. "If I don't, all the Slytherins will think I'm just too scared to face Snape. I'll show them… it'll really wipe the smiles off their faces if we win."

"Just as long as we're not wiping you off the field," said Hermione.

Ron, Hermione, and I were standing up on the stands next to Neville before the Quidditch game. Neville gave us a confused look. "Why did you bring your wands to the game?" he asked us.

"We just forgot to leave them in the dormitories," Ron lied.

"Now, don't forget," Hermione whispered to me. "It's _Locomotor_ _Mortis."_ Ron slipped his wand up his sleeve, not willing to answer anyone else who might ask Neville's question. The three of us were planning on using the Leg-Locker curse on Snape, if he decided to try anything funny.

"I _know,"_ Ron said annoyedly. "Don't nag."

Hermione scowled. "I was reminding _Carly,_ you dimwit."

"Okay, children, calm down," I said before Ron could say anything.

We shut up and watched Snape, who was standing out on the middle of the field, glaring at the two teams. "I've never seen Snape look so mean," Ron said to Hermione and me. "Look- they're off. Ouch!"

Someone had poked Ron in the back of the head. We turned around and saw it was Draco. My stomach churned.

"Oh, sorry, Weasley, didn't see you there," Draco joked.

"Hey, why don't you go over and watch the game with the other Slytherins where you belong?" I yelled at him.

"I'm sorry," Draco said, about to throw out another insulting remark, no doubt. "But I don't take orders from a Gryffindor, especially not a _Perry."_ I knew he was insulting both me _and _my father when he said that.

"You have no authority over me, Draco," I snapped.

"Oh, I don't, do I?" Draco sneered. "If you were a boy I would probably kick your ass right now."

"Yes, but she's _not,_ is she?" Ron said glaring at him.

Draco rolled his eyes. "Wonder how long Potter's going to stay on his broom this time? Anyone want a bet? What about you, Weasley?"

"Wonder how hard I'm gonna punch your face in," I said to Draco, while Ron was ignoring him.

"Stop flirting and watch the Quidditch game, you little _slut,"_ Draco said smirking at me. I turned around and glared at him. He ignored me then. "Maybe I should stop talking and watch the game too. But I won't. You know how I think they choose people for the Gryffindor team? It's the people they feel sorry for. See, there's Potter, who's got no parents, then there's the Weasley's, who've got no money- you should be on the team, Longbottom, you've got no brains."

Neville turned bright red but turned around to face Draco. "I'm worth twelve of you, Malfoy," he said nervously.

Draco, Crabbe, and Goyle cackled. "You tell him, Neville," Ron said.

"Longbottom, if brains were gold you'd be poorer than Weasley," Draco said. "And that's saying something."

Ron turned around and glared at him. "I'm warning you, Malfoy- one more word-"

"Ron!" said Hermione suddenly. "Harry-!"

"What? Where?"

Harry had suddenly gone into a spectacular dive, which caused the crowd to gasp and cheer. Hermione stood up and crossed her fingers as Harry hurtled toward the ground.

"You're in luck, Weasley," Draco said. "Potter's obviously spotted some money on the ground!"

Suddenly Ron was on top of him, wrestling him to the ground!

"Oh my God! Ron!" I screamed.

Neville began helping Ron with the fight.

"Come on, Harry!" Hermione cheered. But I was too busy focusing on Ron, Neville, and Draco to notice what Harry was doing.

Neville was now in the middle of a fist fight with Crabbe and Goyle. Ron and Draco were rolling around under seats. As cute as that looked, I felt I needed to put a stop to it. I ducked under people's feet and grabbed Ron by the shoulder. "Ron, come on, let's stop this," I said.

Draco clenched his fist and punched me in the face! I gasped and felt blood on my nose. I was shocked. No one had ever punched me before. Before I knew it, I joined the battle. Ron and I clobbered on Draco.

People jumped up from their seats and cheered. I didn't even worry about having my head stomped on; I was so involved in our fight.

"Ron! Carly! Where are you? The game's over! Harry's won! We've won! Gryffindor is in the lead!" shrieked Hermione, dancing up and down and hugging Parvati Patil in the front row.

Suddenly she stopped and spotted Draco, Ron, and I under the bleachers. Draco had just punched Ron in the face too, and he glared murderously at me. He lunged at me but then Ron grabbed him and held him back. Draco still tried to get toward me. Hermione ducked under the bleacher and gave my ponytail a hard tug. "Ow!" I groaned.

"Alright, Carly. Fun's over," she told me. "Act your age."

She helped me out from under the bleacher. I ran over to stop Neville as Hermione helped Ron out from under the bleacher.

Professor McGonagall hurried toward us. She scowled at the sight of Ron's and my nosebleed, Draco's black eye, Crabbe and Goyle's bruises, and Neville, who was whimpering and sitting on one of the bleachers.

"That'll be three points from Gryffindor, Mr. Weasley, Mr. Longbottom, and Miss Perry," she said. Draco snickered. She turned to him. "And three points from _Slytherin _thanks to _you_ and _your_ friends."

Draco frowned. Ron and I laughed quietly. "Come, Neville," McGonagall said. "I'm taking you to Madam Pomfrey." They left.

Ron, Hermione, and I headed toward the castle to get to the Great Hall. Everyone was talking about Harry, wondering where he was so they could congratulate him. But the three of us weren't discussing Harry. We were discussing our big battle.

"You two are crazy," Hermione said. "Taking Malfoy on like that."

"It's not my fault," I explained. "I was trying to stop Ron and Draco, but then Draco punched me in the face, and that got me mad."

"He's lucky I didn't kill him," Ron said looking grim. "But mark my words; I'll kill him if he lays another finger on you."

Hermione shook her head. "You two are too hostile."

"And _you're not?"_ Ron said making a face.

"I'm not having this argument," Hermione said, trying not to smile.

We were all jumpy at dinner. None of us could wait for Harry to get there, and talk to him about the Quidditch game. "I'm gonna have to tell him about Neville," I said. "Did you see him out there?"

"No, I was too busy to look," Ron pointed out.

"Hey, where's Snape?" I said passively, noticing that Snape wasn't sitting at the High Table. But then I forgot about what I'd just said and continued eating. Hermione and Ron looked worried.

"That is a bit odd, isn't it?" Ron said. "Snape's out and Harry's out."

"Oh no," Hermione said in a jittery tone of voice. "I do hope Harry's alright."

Soon dinner was over and we headed up to Gryffindor tower.

We sat impatiently waiting in the common room. Suddenly Hermione jumped out of her seat and said, "Harry, where have you _been?"_

"We won! You won! We won!" shouted Ron patting Harry on the back. "Carly bit Malfoy, and I gave him a black eye. Neville tried to take on Crabbe and Goyle, single-handed! He's out cold but Madam Pomfrey says he'll be alright- talk about showing Slytherin! Everyone's been waiting for you, we're having a party. Fred and George stole some cakes and stuff from the kitchen."

"Never mind that now," said Harry breathlessly. "Let's find an empty room; you wait til you hear this."

We hurried over to an empty closet and Harry shut the door. "So we were right, it _is _the Sorcerer's Stone, and Snape's trying to force Quirrell to help him get it. He asked if he knew how to get past Fluffy- and he said something about Quirrell's 'hocus-pocus'- I reckon there are other things guarding the stone other than Fluffy, loads of enchantments, probably, and Quirrell would have done some anti-Dark Arts spell that Snape needs to break through-"

"So you mean the Stone's only safe as long as Quirrell stands up to Snape?" Hermione asked in alarm.

"I don't know how he's gonna do that," I said. "I mean, no offense to Professor Quirrell or anything, but the guy's kind've a wimp."

"It'll be gone by next Tuesday," Ron said.


	11. Norbert the Norwegian Ridgeback

138

Norbert the Norwegian Ridgeback

Chapter 11

* * *

Weeks later, the Stone was still safe. Quirrell looked even paler and even thinner, but he hadn't broken down just yet. "Hello, Professor Quirrell," I said with a bright smile as I walked up to his desk after class one day. He looked a bit startled to see me standing in front of him.

"Aaagghh!" he gasped. "Oh, M-Miss Perry. Can I help you?"

"No, not really," I said shaking my head.

He chuckled uneasily. "T-then w-what is it you w-want?"

"I just wanted to let you know that you're doing your job really well, and I don't want for you to ever stop," I told him.

Quirrell looked uncomfortable. "Why, t-thank you, Miss Perry."

"You're welcome, Professor," I said.

"You may head off to your n-next class now," he said.

"I'll do just that," I said winking at him. I headed to the door, where Ron was waiting for me. Draco laughed.

"Wow, Perry," he said to me. "I didn't know you liked men that stutter."

"Ew!" I gagged. "I do _not_ like Professor Quirrell! I'm just flattering him. You don't what kind of things he's going through right now."

"Yeah, like you talking to him," Draco said as he walked away.

"You talk back to Malfoy too much," Ron told me as we headed toward Potions. "You should just ignore him."

"It's not my fault I have something to say back to everything he says," I pointed out.

Later that day in the common room Hermione started drawing up study schedules and writing notes for the upcoming exams. She demanded Ron and Harry to do the same. "Carly, I'm not gonna force you to do anything, but you should…" she said, giving me a look.

I rolled my eyes. "Hermione, the exams are ages away."

"Ten weeks," Hermione snapped. "That's not ages; that's like a second to Nicolas Flamel."

"But we're not six hundred years old," Ron reminded her. "Anyway, what are you studying for, you already know it all."

"What am I studying for?" Hermione repeated in outrage. "Are you crazy? You realize we need to pass these exams to get into the second year? They're very important, I should have started studying a month ago; I don't know what's gotten into me. Carly, you should be studying harder than any of us. We all know you're not the brightest light bulb in the toolbox."

I took offense to this. _"Hermione,"_ I said giving her a look.

Hermione shrugged. "I'm just telling as it is."

The teachers started piling so much homework on everyone that the Easter holidays weren't as much fun as the Christmas ones. Ron and I agreed that we almost wanted to ditch Hermione, because all she ever talked about anymore were the exams.

One day while we were studying in the library Hagrid came in.

"Hagrid, what are you doing in the library?" Ron asked.

"Jus' lookin'," Hagrid said in a nervous voice that got us interested at once. "An' what're you lot up to? Yer not still lookin' fer Nicolas Flamel, are yeh?"

"Oh, we found out who he is ages ago," Ron bragged. "And we know what the dog's guarding. It's the Sorcerer's St-"

"SHH!" said Hagrid. "Listen, come an' see me later, I'm not promisin' I'll tell yeh anything, mind, but don' go rabbitin' about it in here, students aren' s'pposed ter know. They'll think I've told yeh-"

"See you later, then," said Harry.

_"Oh,"_ Hagrid groaned, quickly leaving the room.

"What was he hiding behind his back?" Hermione asked.

"Do you think it had anything to do with the Stone?" I asked randomly.

"I'm going to see what section he was in," said Ron. He returned a minute later with a pile of books in his arms and slammed them down on the table. _"Dragons!"_ he whispered. "Look at these: _Dragon Species of Great Britain and Ireland_; _From Egg to Inferno, a Dragon Keeper's Guide_."

"Hagrid's always wanted a dragon, he told me so the first time I ever met him," said Harry.

"But it's against our laws," Ron said. "Dragon breeding was outlawed by the Warlock's Convention of 1709, everyone knows that. It's hard to stop Muggles from noticing us if we're keeping dragons in the back garden- anyway, you can't tame dragons, it's dangerous. You should see the burns Charlie's got off wild ones in Romania."

"But there aren't wild dragons in _Britain?"_ said Harry.

"Of course there are," said Ron. "Common Welsh Green and Hebridean Blacks. The Ministry of Magic has a job hushing them up, I can tell you. Our kind have been putting spells on Muggles who've spotted them, to make them forget."

"So what on earth's Hagrid up to?" Hermione asked.

"Oh, don't tell me we're gonna go find out," I groaned. "Guys, I'm tired of this problem-solving/mystery game, alright? Let's just relax."

"Sorry, Carly," Harry said. "This mystery hasn't been solved yet."

An hour later we were at the door of Hagrid's hut. Harry knocked on the door. "Who is it?" Hagrid asked.

"It's Harry," Harry said. "And Ron, Hermione, and Carly."

Hagrid opened the door. "Alright, get inside," he said. He shut the door quickly behind us. It was stifling hot inside the hut. There was a fire in the fireplace, and Hagrid made tea and stoat sandwiches (I didn't know what those were). But we wound up refusing them anyway.

"So- yeh wanted to ask me somethin'?" Hagrid asked.

"Yes," said Harry. "We were wondering if you could tell us what's guarding the Sorcerer's Stone apart from Fluffy."

"O' course I can't," Hagrid said with a frown. "Number one, I don' know meself. Number two, yeh know too much already, so I wouldn' tell yeh if I could. That Stone's here fer a good reason. It was almost stolen outta Gringotts- I s'ppose yeh've worked that out an' all? Beats me how yeh even know abou' Fluffy."

"Oh, come on, Hagrid, you might not want to tell us, but you _do_ know, you know everything that goes on round here," said Hermione in a warm, flattering voice. Hagrid smiled. Hermione continued, "We only wondered who had _done_ the guarding, really. We wondered who Dumbledore had trusted enough to help him, apart from you."

"Well, I don' s'pose it could hurt ter tell yeh that… let's see… he borrowed Fluffy from me… then some o' the teachers did enchantment… Professor Sprout- Professor Flitwick- Professor McGonagall- Professor Quirrell- an' Dumbledore himself did somethin', o' course. Hang on, I've forgotten someone. Oh yeah, Professor Snape."

_"Snape?"_ I repeated in shock.

"Yeah- yer not still on abou' that, are yeh? Look, Snape helped _protect_ the Stone, he's not about ter steal it," Hagrid pointed out.

"You're the only one who knows how to get past Fluffy, aren't you, Hagrid?" said Harry anxiously. "And you wouldn't tell anyone, would you? Not even one of the teachers?"

"Not a soul knows except me an' Dumbledore," said Hagrid.

"Well, that's something," Harry muttered to us. "Hagrid, can we have a window open? I'm boiling."

"Can't, Harry, sorry," Hagrid apologized, glancing at the fire.

"Hagrid- what's _that?"_ he asked, pointing to a huge black egg underneath the kettle by the fireplace.

"Ah," said Hagrid, fidgeting with his beard. "That's- er…"

"Where did you get it, Hagrid?" Ron asked, crouching by the fire. "It must've cost you a fortune."

"Won it," said Hagrid. "Las' night. I was down in the village havin' a few drinks an' got into game o' cards with a stranger. Think he was quite glad ter get rid of it, ter be honest."

"But what are you going to do with it when it's hatched?" Hermione asked.

"Well, I've bin doin' some readin'," said Hagrid, pulling a large book from under his pillow. "Got this outta the library- _Dragon Breeding for_ _Pleasure and Profit_- it's a bit outta date, o'course, but it's all in here. Keep the egg in the fire, 'cause their mothers breathe on 'em, see, an' when it hatches, feed it on a bucket o' brandy mixed with chicken blood every half hour. An' see here- how ter recognize diff'rent eggs- what I got there's a Norwegian Ridgeback. They're rare, them."

"Hagrid, you live in a _wooden house,"_ Hermione said.

Hagrid didn't say anything then, so we left the hut.

"Wonder what it's like to have a peaceful life," Ron sighed, while we were struggling with our extra homework.

"Stop complaining," Hermione grunted as she continued to make study schedules for us. "Would you rather get good grades and have all this hard work get paid off, or flunk out and stay a first year _forever?"_

Ron got paler like that thought scared him out of his mind.

After Harry had received a note from Hagrid at breakfast saying that the edge was hatching, Ron told Hermione he wanted for the four of us to skip Herbology and go down to Hagrid's hut.

_"No,"_ Hermione said sternly. "I won't hear of such nonsense!"

"Hermione, how many times in our lives are we going to see a dragon hatching?" Ron asked.

"We've got lessons, we'll get in trouble, and that's nothing to what Hagrid's going to be in when someone finds out what he's doing-"

"Shut up!" Harry whispered to her.

Draco was only a few feet ahead of us and he stopped walking when he heard what we were saying. How much did he hear? He had a giant smirk on his face. I wanted to smack it off of him.

"What are you looking at?" I snapped at him.

Ron suddenly grabbed my hand and squeezed it. Draco gave me a wicked look and then walked away. Ron slowly let my hand go. "Don't talk to him," he said. "It only encourages him."

We headed down to Herbology. Ron was still mad that Hermione wouldn't let us skip class and head straight to Hagrid's hut. "You'd better get your mind set in your academics, Ronald Weasley," Hermione said.

"How can I get my mind set in my academics when there's a dragon hatching a mile away from me?" Ron wanted to know.

"Harry, can I tell you something?" I asked, figuring Ron and Hermione weren't paying enough attention to us to hear what I was saying.

"Sure," Harry said. "Oh… no… we're already in class."

Herbology wasn't too fun today- not that it was _ever_ extraordinarily fun- all we did was have quiet time to study our notes for the exam. Ron nagged Hermione enough that she agreed we could go down to Hagrid's during morning break. We hurried inside the hut and he shut the door.

"It's nearly out," he said excitedly.

The egg was lying on the table. It was cracking open. We all sat forward to see what would happen next. My eyes were opened so wide I thought they were gonna jump out of their sockets. Never in all my years did I think I'd ever see a dragon hatching.

The egg split open! The baby dragon flopped onto the table. I jumped back in surprise. It wasn't very pretty. It had crumpled skin, spiny wings, and a skinny body. It had a long snout with wide nostrils, bulging horns, and orange eyes. It sneezed. A few sparks flew out of its snout.

"Isn't he _beautiful?"_ Hagrid murmured. He reached out a hand to stroke the dragon's head, but it snapped at his fingers, showing pointed fangs. "Bless him, look, he knows its mommy!" Hagrid gushed.

"Whatever ya say, buddy," I said patting him on the back.

"Hagrid," Hermione said. "How fast do Norwegian Ridgebacks grow, exactly?"

The color drained from Hagrid's face. He jumped up from his seat and ran over to the window.

"What's the matter?" I asked.

"Someone was lookin' through the gap in the curtains- it's a kid- he's runnin' back up ter the school."

Harry ran outside and a few minutes later came back inside. He looked glum. "It was Malfoy," he said. "Malfoy's seen the dragon."

"No!" I gasped standing up.

Hagrid shakily sat back down in his seat.

Draco kept a smile on his face for the rest of the week, but he didn't say anything. I thought maybe there was a chance he didn't see anything so one day at lunch I walked over to the Slytherin table and said, "Aww, Draco, I see you've got a crush on someone over at the Gryffindor table."

"What?" Draco said making a face. Pansy and AnnaSophia laughed.

"Do you have a crush on Hermione?" I asked, though I knew he didn't.

"What? _Who?"_ Draco said.

"Hermione Granger," I said.

"Oh, Granger. No. _Ew,"_ he said. "She's a mudblood."

"Then why do you keep smiling over at the Gryffindor table?" I asked curiously.

Then he smiled wickedly again and looked me in the eye. "Because I know you and your friend's little secret is at my mercy," he said. "If I tell one of the teachers about your dragon, you'll be _expelled."_

I looked at Pansy and Blaise. They smiled at me like they'd heard.

"You'd better not tell anyone else," I growled at Draco.

"I won't," Draco said. "If you stay out of my way… which'll be so hard to do since you seek me out so much."

"Ew, where did you ever get that idea?" I wanted to know.

"Oh, I don't know," he said smirking. "It's not like it's _obvious_ or anything, I guess."

I breathed heavily and turned around to go back to the Gryffindor table.

"I told you not to talk to him, Carly," Ron said in a concerned tone of voice. "It only makes him think he has power over you."

I glared back at Draco who was still smirking over at our table. "That's one thing I won't let him have over me," I said darkly.

After lunch we went down to Hagrid's hut to reason with him.

"Just let him go," Harry told him. "Set him free."

"I can't," said Hagrid. "He's too little. He'd die."

We looked at the dragon. It had grown three times in length in just a week. Smoke kept coming out of its nostrils. He'd been keeping Hagrid busy, so he hadn't been doing his gamekeeping duties lately.

"I've decided to call him Norbert," Hagrid said. "He knows me now, watch. Norbert! Norbert! Where's Mommy?"

Hermione and I exchanged looks. "He's lost his marbles," Ron said.

"Hagrid," said Harry loudly. "Give it two weeks and Norbert's going to be as long as your house. Malfoy could go to Dumbledore any moment."

Hagrid bit his lip. "I- I know I can't keep him forever, but I can't jus' dump him, I can't."

"Charlie," Harry said to Ron.

"You're losing it too," said Ron. "I'm Ron, remember?"

"No- Charlie- your brother, Charlie. In Romania. Studying dragons. We could send Norbert to him. Charlie can take care of him and then put him back in the wild!"

"Brilliant!" said Ron. "How about it, Hagrid?"

"Oh, alright," Hagrid said.

_Thank God,_ I thought to myself. All this dragon business was stressing me out.

Hermione, Harry, and I sat alone in the common room that next Wednesday night, waiting for Ron to get back from Hagrid's hut. Then he came back and took Harry's invisibility cloak off. He had been off feeding Norbert. "It bit me!" he said, showing us his hand which was wrapped in a bloody handkerchief. "I'm not going to be able to hold a quill pen for a week. I tell you, that dragon's the most horrible animal I've ever met, but the way Hagrid goes on about it; you'd think it was a fluffy little bunny rabbit. When it bit me he told me off for frightening it. And when I left, he was singing it a lullaby."

There was a tap on the dark window. "It's Hedwig!" Harry said, hurrying to let her in. "She'll have Charlie's answer." Harry, Ron, and Hermione huddled so closely around the note that I couldn't see over them. I gave up and waited for them to finish.

"We've got the invisibility cloak," said Harry. "It shouldn't be too difficult- I think the cloak's big enough to cover two of us and Norbert."

"Wait… _which_ two?" I asked. I looked at the three of them long and hard. I'd never gotten much of a say in this foursome over the past few months, so I just knew _I_ would be one of the ones left out in this situation.

"We'll think about it," Harry said after a long pause.

As it turned out, Harry and Hermione had gone to Madam Pomfrey's a few times without me to discuss things over with Ron- things that apparently I wasn't _allowed_ to know.

On Saturday night I spotted Harry and Hermione waiting for Peeves to get away from the entrance hall. I caught up with the two of them before they slipped the invisibility cloak on. "So it's _you_ two going?" I asked them loudly.

"Shh! _Shh!"_ they both snapped at me. "Peeves doesn't know we're here," Hermione whispered.

"Why do you guys think you can go off and make decisions without me?" I wanted to know. "I thought I was your friend. I thought I might have had a fighting chance at being apart of this mission."

"You _are_ our friend, Carly," Harry said. "It's just…"

"You tend to be a trouble magnet, Carly," Hermione said. "We thought that if it was just me and Harry that we can get the job done."

"Trouble magnet? _Me?"_ I laughed. "Who was the one that got trapped in a bathroom with a big old troll?"

Hermione blushed. "Well…" she said. "That was _once._ Who's the one that always provokes Malfoy?"

"I'm coming along with you guys or I'm letting Peeves know we're here," I insisted.

They gasped. "Carly, do you know how much trouble Hagrid could get in if anyone figures out what we're doing?" Hermione asked.

"We're already halfway hopeless," Harry pointed out. "Malfoy has Charlie's letter."

"Oh." The color drained from my face. "But can I come?"

"Fine," Harry said. Hermione groaned and crossed her arms. Harry looked at her. "Come on, Hermione. Now I'm not sure if the invisibility cloak is big enough to cover you, me, Hermione, _and_ Norbert…"

"We're small," I said. "It'll do."

We were now under the cloak. It excited me to actually be invisible. We snuck past Peeves, who was just leaving. We got outside. It was a very dark, cloudy night. "We're going to be a bit late, thanks to Peeves."

_"And_ Carly," Hermione muttered.

"Cut it out, Hermione," Harry said rolling his eyes.

We arrived at Hagrid's. Norbert was packed and ready in a large crate. "He's got lots o' rats an' some brandy fer the journey," Hagrid said. "An' I've packed his teddy bear in case he gets lonely."

From inside the crate came ripping noises that sounded to Harry, Hermione, and me as though the teddy was having its head torn off.

"Bye-bye, Norbert!" Hagrid sobbed.

Harry, Hermione, and I covered the crate with the invisibility cloak and stepped underneath it, ourselves. Hermione groaned as if I was sticking out of it or something. I quickly fixed this. She seemed more relaxed.

We somehow managed to get the crate to the castle. We moved Norbert up the marble staircase in the entrance hall and along the dark corridors. "I have a question," I said. "Why are we bringing the dragon _inside _the castle?"

"We never told you about Charlie Weasley's plan," Hermione said.

"It's kind've hard to explain," Harry said politely to me.

"Oh, that's alright," I sighed. It wasn't really like I needed to know what my best friends were up to, right?

"Nearly there!" Harry panted as we reached the corridor beneath the tallest tower.

There was a sudden movement ahead of us that almost made us drop the crate. We forgot we were invisible so we hid in the shadows, staring at the dark outlines of two people arguing with each other, not too far away.

They were Professor McGonagall and Draco Malfoy. McGonagall was wearing a bathrobe and a hairnet. She had Draco by the ear. "Detention!" she shouted. "And twenty points from Slytherin! Wandering around in the middle of the night, how_ dare_ you-"

"You don't understand, Professor. Harry Potter's coming- he's got a dragon!" Draco complained.

"What utter rubbish!" McGonagall said. "How dare you tell such lies! Come on- I shall see Professor Snape about you, Malfoy!"

We hurried past them and got to the top of the tower. Just then the two of them threw the cloak off, though I thought it wasn't safe just yet.

"Malfoy's got detention! I could sing!" Hermione said.

"Don't," Harry and I advised her at the same time.

About ten minutes later Charlie Weasley and his friends swooped down on broomsticks, about to take Norbert away.

"Hello, how's your evening?" Charlie asked us with a big smile on his face.

"Good," the three of us answered at the same time.

"Good," Charlie said. "So we're just gonna take the Ridgeback out of your hair, alright?" He rigged up a harness and buckled Norbert safely into it. "Good night," he and his friends called to us as they disappeared into the sky. Norbert was gone with them.

Harry, Hermione, and I headed back down the staircase. I'd never felt so relieved. Finally we didn't have to worry about this dragon anymore. And Draco was in Detention! Nothing could ruin our happiness.

But then it all ended when we reached the foot of the stairs. There Filch stood. He smirked at the three of us.

"Well, well, well," he said. "We _are_ in trouble."

We'd accidentally left the invisibility cloak on top of the tower.


	12. The Forbidden Forest

151

The Forbidden Forrest

Chapter 12

* * *

Filch took us down to Professor McGonagall's study on the first floor. We sat and waited, not saying a word to each other. Hermione was trembling. Harry was closing his eyes and mouthing words to himself, like he was trying to think of some excuses. I was sweating and my legs were shaking. I was putting all my trust in Harry and Hermione to make up a story that would get us out of trouble. _How could Harry have forgotten the_ _cloak?_ I thought to myself. _How could he have been so stupid?_ I didn't even think that Hermione or I could have reminded him.

"Harry!" Neville suddenly said, running into the room. "I was trying to find you to warn you. I heard Malfoy saying he was going to catch you, he said you had a drag-"

Harry shook his head violently and Neville shut up.

"I would have never believed it of any of you," Professor McGonagall said angrily. "Mr. Filch says you were up in the astronomy tower. It's one o'clock in the morning. _Explain yourselves." _

Hermione was sitting still as a statue, staring down at her slippers.

Professor McGonagall studied all of us and then said, "I think I've got a good idea what's been going on. It doesn't take a genius to work it out. You fed Draco Malfoy some cock-and-bull story about a dragon, trying to get him out of bed and into trouble. I've already caught him. I suppose you think it's funny that Longbottom here heard the story and believed it too?"

Harry exchanged a look with Neville, telling him this wasn't true.

"I'm disgusted," said Professor McGonagall. "Five students out of bed in one night! I've never heard of such a thing before! You, Miss Granger, I thought had more sense. As for you, Mr. Potter, I thought Gryffindor meant more to you than this. All four of you will receive detentions- yes, you too, Mr. Longbottom, _nothing_ gives you the right to walk around school at night, especially these days- and fifty points will be taken from Gryffindor."

_"Fifty?"_ Harry gasped.

"Fifty points _each,"_ said Professor McGonagall.

"Professor- please-" I said.

"You _can't-"_ Harry said.

"Don't tell me what I can and can't do, Potter. Now get back to bed, all of you. I've never been more ashamed of Gryffindor students."

So we went back to bed with two hundred points taken from Gryffindor. We were in last place. We'd ruined any chance we could have gotten from getting the house cup. Over the next few days the other Gryffindors shunned us for losing us so many points. Even the Hufflepuffs and Ravenclaws were mad Slytherin was gonna get the cup again. The Slytherin students, on the other hand, were appreciative.

"Thank you, Carly," Pansy Parkinson said to me one day.

"For what?" I asked, though I knew what she was gonna say.

"For being so stupid!" she said. Her friends all cackled wickedly.

All in all, Hermione, Neville, and I weren't getting as _much_ hatred as Harry was, since we were less-known than he was. Hermione, Harry, and I studied together for the exams every night with Ron. It took our mind off things. Ron was always trying to comfort us, but it didn't work. All we could think about was the other Gryffindors in the common room, glaring at us.

A week before the exams started, I sat in the library with Ron and Hermione. Hermione was testing us on Astronomy. Harry burst in through the door. "Quirrell's given up!" he shouted. "I heard him crying in his classroom! He said 'alright, alright'. It's over."

"Snape's done it, then!" said Ron. "If Quirrell's told him how to break his Anti-Dark Force spell-"

"There's still Fluffy, though," said Hermione.

"Maybe Snape's found out how to get past him without asking Hagrid," said Ron, looking up at the book shelves. "I bet there's a book somewhere in here telling you how to get past a giant three-headed dog. So what do we do, Harry?"

"Go to Dumbledore," Hermione said. "That's what we should have done ages ago. If we try anything ourselves we'll be thrown out for sure."

"But we've got no _proof!"_ said Harry. "Quirrell's too scared to back us up. Snape's only got to say he doesn't know how the troll got in at Halloween and that he was nowhere near the third floor- who do you think they'll believe, him or us? It's not exactly a secret we hate him, Dumbledore'll think we made it up to get him sacked. Filch wouldn't help us if his life depended on it, he's too friendly with Snape, and the more students get thrown out, the better, he'll think. And don't forget, we're not supposed to know about the Stone or Fluffy. That'll take a lot of explaining."

There was a long pause. Hermione looked convinced.

Ron began, "If we just do a bit of poking around-"

"No," said Harry flatly. "We've done enough poking around."

"Guys," I said. I felt like I hadn't spoken in a while. "I know this all is really important to you at the moment, but I feel like we don't really talk about anything else."

The three of them just stared at me blankly until Hermione said, "It's not just important to _us,_ Carly. It's important to the _whole school_. But we wouldn't expect for you to realize that with your average report card."

"So you're dissing my smartness again?" I asked.

"No, Carly," Hermione said. "I'm just _saying."_

"We can't relax until we solve this, Carly," Ron said.

"And we have to solve it before the exams come in," Harry said.

The next day notes were delivered to Harry, Hermione, Neville, and me at the breakfast table. They were all the same.

Your detention will take place at eleven o'clock tonight.

Meet Mr. Filch in the entrance hall.

Professor McGonagall

At eleven o'clock we said good bye to Ron, and then the four of us went down to the entrance hall. Filch and Draco were already there. "Follow me," said Filch, lighting a lamp and leading us outside. "I bet you'll think twice about breaking a school rule again, won't you, eh?" he laughed. "Oh yes… hard work and pain are the best teachers if you ask me… it's just a pity they let the old punishments die out… hang you by your wrists from the ceiling for a few days, I've got the chains still in my office, keep 'em well oiled in case they're ever needed… Right, we go, and don't think of running off, now, it'll be worse for you if you do."

We walked across the dark grounds. Neville was crying. I put my arm around him to comfort him. We could see Hagrid's hut ahead. "Is that you, Filch?" Hagrid asked. "Hurry up, I want ter get started."

I sighed with relief. At least we'd be working with Hagrid.

"I suppose you think you'll be enjoying yourselves with that oaf?" Filch said, obviously noticing the relief on my face and on Harry's face. "Well, think again, children- it's into the forest you're going and I'm much mistaken if you'll all come out in one piece."

Draco stopped walking suddenly. "The forest?" he repeated, fear in his voice. "We can't go in there at night- there's all sorts of things in there- werewolves, I heard."

Neville clutched the sleeve of Harry's robe and made a choking sound.

"That's your problem, isn't it?" said Filch with a smirk. "Should've thought of them before you got in trouble, shouldn't you?"

Hagrid came toward us in the dark. His dog Fang was at his side. He was carrying a large crossbow and a bunch of arrows over his shoulder. "Abou' time," he said. "I bin waitin' fer half an hour already. Alright, Harry, Hermione, Carly?"

"I shouldn't be too friendly to them, Hagrid," said Filch. "They're here to be punished, after all."

"That's why yer late, is it?" Hagrid said frowning at him. "Bin lecturin' them, eh? 'Snot your place ter do that. Yeh've done yer bit, I'll take over from here."

"I'll be back at dawn for what's left of them," said Filch. He started back toward the castle.

Draco turned to Hagrid. "I'm not going in that forest," he said.

"Yeh are if yeh want ter stay at Hogwarts," said Hagrid fiercely. "Yeh've done wrong an' now yeh've got ter pay for it."

"But this is servant stuff, it's not for students to do," Draco pointed out. "I thought we'd be copying lines or something, if my father knew what I was doing-"

"-Tell yer that's how it is at Hogwarts," Hagrid growled. "Copyin' lines! What's good that ter anyone? Yeh'll do summat useful or yeh'll get out. If yeh think yer father'd rather you were expelled, then get back off ter the castle an' pack. Go on!"

Draco didn't move. He just glared at Hagrid. "Right then" Hagrid said. "Listen carefully, 'cause it's dangerous what we're gonna do tonight, an' I don' want no one takin' risks. Follow me over here a moment."

He led us to the very edge of the forest. Holding his lamp up high, he pointed down a narrow, winding earth track that disappeared into the thick black trees. A light breeze lifted our hair as we looked into the forest.

"Look there," said Hagrid. "See that stuff shinin' on the ground? Silvery stuff? That's unicorn blood. There's a unicorn in there bin hurt badly by summat. This is the second time in a week. I found one dead last Wednesday. We're gonna try an' find the poor thing. We might have ter put it out of its misery."

"And what if whatever hurt the unicorn finds us?" Draco asked.

"There's nothin' that lives in the forest that'll hurt yeh if yer with me or Fang," Hagrid assured him. "An' keep ter the path. Right now, we're gonna split inter two parties an' follow the trail in diff'rent directions. There's blood all over the place, it must've bin staggerin' around since last night at least."

"I want Fang," said Draco quickly, looking at the dog's long teeth.

"Alright, but I warn yeh, he's a coward," Hagrid said. "So me, Harry, an' Hermione'll go one way, an' Draco, Neville, Carly, an' Fang go the other. Now, if any of us finds the unicorn, we'll send up green sparks, right? Get yer wands out an' practice now- that's it- an' if anyone gets in trouble, send up red sparks, an' we'll all come an' find yeh- so, be careful- let's go."

Before he, Harry, and Hermione started off, I said, "Hagrid, why can't I be with _you_ guys?"

Hagrid looked up at Draco and Neville for a moment and then looked at me again, "Malfoy can't be by himself," he whispered. "That'd be discrim'nation. And I can't leave Neville alone with Malfoy. He'll be terr'rized. So yeh have to make sure the two o' them get along."

Then he nodded encouragingly at me and started off again.

Why couldn't he have chosen _Hermione_ to be in Neville's group? She was more responsible than I was anyway. If Neville and Draco got in a fight, Hermione would put a stop to it immediately. But _I _would probably _join_ the fight. At least if I'd been put with _Harry,_ I could have shown him the photo of him and me as a baby, and asked him about his past.

"Are you coming or _not,_ Perry?" Draco snapped at me.

"I'm coming," I said catching up with him, Neville, and Fang.

"You know I would have just left you there if Longbottom hadn't told me to tell you to come," Draco said, not even making eye contact with me. I stuck my tongue out at him since he wasn't looking.

"Thank you, Neville," I said kindly.

"You're welcome," he said shyly.

_"Ugh!"_ Draco growled. He pointed to Fang, who was peeing on a pile of leaves. "This is what you get for being teamed up with a _dog._ How does Hagrid think we're gonna survive- being led by this cowardly dog?"

"Maybe he expects _you_ to lead the way, Draco," I challenged.

"He can kiss my ass, then," Draco said rolling his eyes. Then he glared at Fang, who was still peeing. "Cut it out, you mangy mutt!"

"Leave him alone," I said. "He's a dog. He's doing his business."

I bent over and pet Fang's head when he was done peeing.

Draco smirked down at me. "Yes, _indeed,"_ he said.

We kept on walking, though none of us really had any idea where we were walking to. Neville and I just followed Draco, who was following Fang, who was going wherever his nose took him. When Neville and I got tired we lost track of Draco and Fang. We finally noticed and gasped.

"Oh my God," I said as I heard some shuffling nearby. "Where's Draco and Fang?"

"I don't know," Neville squeaked. "I lost track of them."

There was some rustling in the leaves. I took my wand out and held it shakily, unaware of how much good it would do me to use it, since I wasn't exactly the best witch at Hogwarts. Neville got his wand out too.

"Pretty little girl," said a cold whisper. "Pretty little girl."

My heart pounded wildly. Neville started whimpering.

The voice seemed to grow louder… and closer. "I'm going to get you, pretty little girl."

"Neville, when whatever it is comes along, I want you to run," I said my voice trembling.

"I-I-I c-can't just l-_leave_ you here," Neville stuttered.

"S-sure you can," I said encouragingly. "I can h-handle it."

"You've got nowhere to run, pretty little girl," the voice whispered loudly. "You're _mine_ now."

I stopped breathing hard, and so the only sounds I could hear were Neville's whimpering and the beating of heart. Why did the school board think it was safe to have students wandering around in the Forbidden Forrest for detention? Draco had already been kidnapped. Who _next?_

Suddenly something jumped out of the bushes and roared! It grabbed me around my middle, causing me to scream! Neville immediately sent up red sparks with his wand! He was screaming too. Whatever was grabbing me tightened its grip. I thrashed around, trying to get it off of me.

It finally let go of me, and I turned around to see what it was. It was Draco! He was laughing wickedly. Neville was bright red in the face. He embarrassedly stopped screaming. I glared at Draco. _"You!"_ I shouted.

"You should have seen the looks on your faces!" Draco cackled.

"You're gonna _pay!"_ I yelled, lunging at him.

"Hey, hey, _hey!"_ Hagrid shouted, making his way over to us. "What's goin' on o'er here? Yeh sent up red sparks; what happened?" He looked angry like he knew it had just been a prank.

"Draco left us to scare us and snuck up on Carly!" Neville explained.

Fang hurried over to Hagrid, and licked his shoes.

Hagrid was fuming. He glared at Draco and said, "Yeh three are comin' with _me,"_ he said. "Yeh really had us worried there," he said to Draco as we trudged through the bushes. "What got inter yer head?"

"It was a joke," Draco said shrugging his shoulders.

"I didn' find it too funny," Hagrid said shaking his head as we approached Harry and Hermione. The two of them were wide eyed, like they'd gotten really worried. "Yer friend Malfoy here," Hagrid began. "Thought it funny to sneak up on Carly and Neville. We'll be lucky ter catch anythin' now, with the racket you three were makin'. Right, we're changin' groups- Neville and Carly; you stay with me an' Hermione. Harry, you go with Fang an' this idiot. I'm sorry." He turned to Harry and whispered, "But he'll have a harder time frightenin' you, an' we've gotta get this done."

"I'm sorry, Harry," I said placing my arm on Harry's before I left.

"That's alright," he said smiling kindly at me.

"Get _out _of here," Draco said glaring at me. I glared back and left.

"Alright, come 'long now," Hagrid told Neville, Hermione, and me. "We need ter find whatever's causin' trouble 'round here."

Neville stayed glued to Hagrid's side. I walked with Hermione.

"You really had us worried there," Hermione told me.

"It wasn't my fault," I explained. "It wasn't Neville's either. It was all Draco. Hagrid already told you what happened."

"No, I'm not saying it's your fault," Hermione assured me. "I just wish it didn't have to have happened. Harry and I nearly jumped out of our skin. We thought you and Neville were in some big trouble. We really didn't care what happened to Malfoy."

_"No_ one cares about Draco," I muttered, rolling my eyes.

"Why do you do that?" Hermione asked.

"Do what?" I said.

"Call him _Draco,"_ Hermione said. "Everyone else calls him _Malfoy." _

I took a moment to think about that. "Well, Draco's his first name, isn't it?"

"Yes," Hermione said. "But none of us respect him enough to call him by his first name. But _you do_. That means you respect him, Carly. That means you respect Draco Malfoy."

"Ew, _no!"_ I gasped. "I don't respect Draco!"

Hermione gave me a look. "It sounds to me like you _do."_

"No, I don't," I argued. "I don't respect Dra- I mean, _Malfoy."_

Hermione shrugged. "Whatever you say, Carly."

"Everyone alright back there?" Hagrid asked. "Keepin' up?"

"Yes, Hagrid," Hermione said.

We were silent as we trudged on through the bushes and mud. I was getting bored already. How long was this detention going to be _anyway?_ It was already morning and we hadn't gotten any luck in finding whatever had been killing the unicorns yet.

Suddenly a while later a centaur made its way over toward us.

"Hagrid!" the centaur said. "Harry Potter's this way. Come!"

Just then Draco, who was screaming like a girl, came running toward us along with Fang. Draco slammed head first into Hagrid. "It-it-it-it was a h-h-hooded creature and it-it-it-it-"

"What did it do?" Hagrid asked looking up at the centaur.

"It was _him,_ Hagrid," the centaur said grimly. _"Voldemort."_

A chill ran up my spine.

"Jumpin' jacks!" Hagrid gasped. "Lead the way!"

The centaur led us through the forest to find Harry. We found him with another centaur. "Harry! Harry, are you alright?" Hermione cried.

"I'm fine," Harry said breathlessly. "The unicorn's dead, Hagrid, it's in that clearing back there."

"This is where I leave you," the centaur said to Harry as Hagrid hurried off to examine the unicorn. "You are safe now." Harry slid off his back. "Good luck, Potter," said the centaur. "The planets have been read wrongly before now, even by centaurs. I hope this is one of those times."

He turned and entered the depths of the forest.

Harry was shivering uncontrollably. I grabbed his hand and squeezed it. "You saw Voldemort?" I asked, wanting to clarify whether it was true or not. Harry nodded slowly.

"Yes," he said shakily. "It was Voldemort."

We returned to the common room, seeing that Ron had fallen asleep on the couch, waiting for us. I sat on the couch next to him and stroked his red hair with my fingers, careful he didn't wake up.

Harry quietly discussed some things with Hermione over by the window sill. I then leaned over and kissed Ron on the head. I sang a lullaby to him, but got away from him before Harry and Hermione came over.

Harry violently shook Ron awake. "I'm on the Quidditch team?!" Ron gasped excitedly when he woke.

_"Shh!"_ Hermione said. "No, you were in the middle of a dream."

"Ah man," Ron groaned. "Why'd you wake me up?"

Harry stood up and walked over to the fireplace. "I have something to tell you," he said. "Hermione and Carly already know. I saw Voldemort."

Ron's eyes widened. "But… isn't he… _dead_…?"

"Apparently not," Harry said. "I saw him in the forest. He was wearing a cloak. He was feeding off of unicorn's blood. The centaur Firenze told me anyone who feeds off of unicorn's blood is immortal, but they live a cursed life. Voldemort's living a cursed life. Snape wants the stone for Voldemort… and Voldemort's waiting in the forest… and all this time we just thought Snape just wanted to get rich…"

"Stop saying the name!" Ron said in a terrified whisper, as if he thought Voldemort could hear him.

Harry went on as he paced up and down in front of the fire, "Firenze saved me, but he shouldn't have done so… Bane was furious… he was talking about interfering with what the planets say is going to happen… They must show that Voldemort's coming back… Bane thinks Firenze should have let Voldemort kill me… I suppose that's written in the stars as well."

_"Will you stop saying the name?"_ Ron hissed.

"So all I've got to wait for now is Snape to steal the Stone," Harry continued. "Then Voldemort will be able to come and finish me off… Well, I suppose Bane'll be happy."

"Harry, everyone says Dumbledore's the only one You-Know-Who was ever afraid of," Hermione reminded him. "With Dumbledore around, You-Know-Who won't touch you. Anyway, who says the centaurs are right? It sounds like fortune-telling to me, and Professor McGonagall says that's a very precise branch of magic."

"That's right," I said, walking over to Harry and holding his hands. "As long as you're with Dumbledore, you're _safe."_

Harry smiled warmly and didn't let go of my hands.


	13. Through the Trapdoor

174

Through the Trapdoor

Chapter 13

* * *

Much to my surprise, the exams were easier than I thought they would be. Well, at least the _written_ ones were. The ones where you had to use magic were harder. Like in Charms when we had to see if we could make a pineapple tap-dance across a table, and in Transfiguration when Professor McGonagall watched us turn a mouse into a snuffbox. I had somehow managed to turn the mouse into the snuffbox, but had points taken away for not being able to get rid of its whiskers.

Snape's exam was the hardest. He paced up and down the classroom, watching as we wrote down how to make a Forgetfulness potion. I hadn't finished his exam when class was over. "Not finished?" Snape said snatching my paper after class had finished. "Pity. I guess that'll be a couple of points taken from your exam."

"No, Professor, can you _please_ let me finish?" I begged. "My dad really wants for me to get a good grade."

Snape rolled his eyes when I had mentioned my father for some reason. He let out a long, troubled sigh and then said, "Fine. You can come to my class and finish it after the end-of-term banquet on the last day of school."

"Thank you so much, Professor!" I said gratefully. He didn't answer. He just walked over to his desk and said nothing, letting me know to leave. He'd used this signal many times this year. I was so thankful to him since he was gonna let me finish my exam that I'd almost forgotten that he was trying to steal the Sorcerer's Stone.

"That was far easier than I thought it would be," Hermione said as we joined the crowds out on the sunny campus. "I needn't have learned about the 1673 Werewolf Code of Conduct or the uprising of Elfric the Eager."

We went down to the lake to relax. Fred, George, and Lee Jordan were tickling a giant squid. "Haha," I said to Ron. "Your brothers are really funny."

"Well, I guess they _can _be," Ron said with a shrug. "No more studying," he sighed happily, stretching out on the grass. "You look more cheerful, Harry, we've got a week before we find out how badly we've done, there's no need to worry yet."

Harry was rubbing his forehead. "I wish I knew what this _means!"_ he yelled angrily. "My scar keeps hurting- it's happened before, but never as often as this."

"Go to Madam Pomfrey," Hermione suggested.

"I'm not ill," said Harry. "I think it's a warning… it means danger's coming."

"Harry, _relax,"_ Ron groaned. "Hermione's right, the Stone's safe as long as Dumbledore's around. Anyway, we've never had any proof Snape found out how to get past Fluffy. He nearly had his leg ripped off once; he's not going to try again in a hurry. And Neville will play Quidditch for England before Hagrid lets Dumbledore down."

Harry nodded. "I just can't help thinking there's something important I've forgotten to do," he said to me and Hermione.

"That's just the exams," Hermione assured him. "I woke up last night and was halfway through my Transfiguration notes before I remembered we'd done that one."

We saw an owl with a note in its mouth fly toward the castle.

Suddenly Harry jumped to his feet. "Where are you going?" Ron asked in an exhausted tone of voice.

"I've just thought of something," said Harry. He was pale in the face. "We've got to go and see Hagrid, now."

"Why?" Hermione panted as we hurried to keep yet.

"Don't you think it's a bit odd that what Hagrid wants more than anything else is a dragon, and a stranger turns up who just happens to have an egg in his pocket?" Harry asked as we climbed up the grassy slope. "How many people wander around with dragon eggs if it's against wizard law? Lucky they found Hagrid, don't you think? Why didn't I see it before?"

"What are you talking about?" Ron asked.

"I'm tired of guessing games, Harry," I said out of breath.

Harry ignored me. He sprinted across the campus toward the forest. We arrived at Hagrid's hut. Hagrid was sitting on an armchair outside his house, his trousers and sleeves rolled up, and he was shelling peas into a bowl. "Hullo," he said smiling. "Finished yer exams? Got time fer a drink?"

"Yes, please," said Ron.

"No, we're in a hurry," Harry said. "Hagrid, I've got to ask you something. You know that night you won Norbert? What did the stranger you were playing cards look like?"

"Dunno," said Hagrid. "He wouldn't take his cloak off."

The four of us gasped. Hagrid didn't get it. "It's not that unusual, yeh get a lot o' funny folk in the Hog's Head- that's the pub down in the village. Mighta bin a dragon dealer, mightn' he? I never saw his face, he kept his hood up."

Harry sank down next to the bowl of peas. "What did you talk to him about, Hagrid? Did you mention Hogwarts at all?"

"Mighta come up," said Hagrid, frowning as he tried to remember. "Yeah… he asked what I did, an' I told him I was gamekeeper here… He asked a bit about the sorta creatures I look after… so I told him… an' I said what I'd always wanted was a dragon… an' then… I can' remember too well, 'cause he kept buyin' me drinks… Let's see… yeah, then he said he had the dragon egg an' we could play cards fer it if I wanted… but he had ter be sure I could handle it, he didn' want it ter go ter any old home… So I told him, after Fluffy, a dragon would be easy…"

"And did he-" Harry began, "Did he seem interested in Fluffy?"

"Well- yeah- how many three-headed dogs d'yeh meet, even around Hogwarts? So I told him, Fluffy's a piece o' cake if yeh know how to calm him down, jus' play him a bit o' music an' he'll go straight off ter sleep- I shouldn'ta told yeh that! Forget I said it! Hey- where're yeh goin'?"

We ran toward the castle and came to a halt in the entrance hall, which suddenly seemed very cold after having been out in the sun. "We've got to go to Dumbledore," Harry said. "Hagrid told that stranger how to get past Fluffy, and it was either Snape or Voldemort under that cloak- it must've been easy, once he'd got Hagrid drunk. I just hope Dumbledore believes us. Firenze might back us up if Bane doesn't stop us. Where's Dumbledore's office?"

We looked around, hoping to see a sign that might point us in the right direction. But none of us knew where Dumbledore lived or where he worked or anything like that. Harry said, "We'll just have to-"

"What are you four doing inside?" McGonagall suddenly asked.

"We want to see Professor Dumbledore," said Hermione.

"See Professor Dumbledore?" McGonagall repeated looking a bit surprised. "Why?"

"It's sort of secret," Harry said timidly.

"Professor Dumbledore left ten minutes ago," McGonagall said. "He received an urgent owl from the Ministry of Magic and flew off for London at once.'

"He's _gone?"_ Harry asked frantically. _"Now?"_

"Professor Dumbledore is a very great wizard, Potter; he has many demands on his time."

"But this is important."

"Something you have to say is more important than the Ministry of Magic, Potter?"

"Look, Professor," Harry said. "It's about the Sorcerer's Stone."

Professor McGonagall dropped the books she'd been carrying. "How did you know-?"

"Professor, I think- I _know_- that Sn- that someone's going to try and steal the Stone. I've got to talk to Professor Dumbledore."

"Professor Dumbledore will be back tomorrow. I don't know how you found out about the Stone, but rest assured, no one can possibly steal it, it's too well protected."

"But Professor-"

"Potter, I know what I'm talking about," she said leaning over to pick up the books she'd dropped. "I suggest you all go back outside and enjoy the sunshine."

She walked away.

"It's tonight," said Harry quietly. "Snape's going through the trapdoor tonight. He's found out everything he needs, and now he's got Dumbledore out of the way. He sent that note; I bet the Ministry of Magic will get a real shock when Dumbledore turns up."

"But what can we-" I began.

I was interrupted by a gasp from Hermione.

Harry, Ron, and I all turned around and saw Snape standing behind us. "Good afternoon," he said smoothly.

"G-g-good afternoon, Professor," I stuttered.

Snape raised his eyebrow suspiciously at me. "I think you've been around Quirrell too much, Miss Perry." Then he turned to Harry. "You shouldn't be inside on a day like this," he said, with an odd, twisted smile.

Harry gulped and said, "We were-"

"You want to be more careful," Snape interrupted. "Hanging around like this, people will think you're up to something. And Gryffindor really can't afford to lose anymore points, can it?"

The four of us hurried past him to go outside, but Snape said, "Be warned, Potter- anymore nighttime wanderings and I will personally make sure you are expelled. Good day to you."

Out on the stone steps, Harry turned to us. "Right, here's what we've got to do," he whispered urgently. "One of us has to keep an eye on Snape- wait outside the staff room and follow him if he leaves it. Hermione, you'd better to do it."

"Why me?" Hermione wanted to know.

"It's obvious," said Ron. "You can pretend to be waiting for Professor Flitwick, you know. 'Oh Professor Flitwick, I'm so worried I think I got question _b _wrong'," he added in a mockingly high voice.

"Oh, shut up," Hermione said. "Fine, I'll go." So she did.

"And we'd better stay outside the third-floor corridor," Harry told Ron and me. "Come on."

That didn't work out too well. When we'd reached the door separating Fluffy from the rest of the school, Professor McGonagall showed up and this time, she lost her temper. "I suppose you think you're harder to get past than a pack of enchantments!" she stormed. "Enough of this nonsense! If I hear you've come anywhere near here again, I'll take another fifty points from Gryffindor! Yes, Weasley, from my own house!"

"What are we gonna do?" I asked as we headed to the common room. "There are teachers everywhere you turn. How are we gonna protect the Stone without getting in trouble?"

"Well, at least Hermione's on Snape's tail," Ron pointed out.

We waited an hour for Hermione and then she burst into the Gryffindor common room. "I'm sorry, Harry!" she wailed. "Snape came out and asked me what I was doing, so I said I was waiting for Professor Flitwick, and Snape went to get him, and I've only just got away, I don't know where Snape went."

"Well, that's it then, isn't it?" Harry said, looking very pale. We just stared at him so he said, "I'm going out of here tonight and I'm going to try and get the Stone first."

"You're mad!" said Ron.

"That's unheard of!" I agreed.

"You can't!" said Hermione. "After what McGonagall and Snape said? You'll be expelled!"

"SO WHAT?" Harry shouted. "Don't you understand? If Snape gets hold of the Stone, Voldemort's coming back! Haven't you heard of what it was like when he was trying to take over? There won't be any Hogwarts to get expelled from! He'll flatten it, or turn it into a school for the Dark Arts! Losing points doesn't matter anymore, can't you see? D'you think he'll leave you and your families alone if Gryffindor wins the house cup? If I get caught before I can get to the Stone, well, I'll have to go back to the Dursleys and wait for Voldemort to find me there, it's only dying a bit later than I would have, because I'm never going to the Dark Side! I'm going through that trapdoor tonight and nothing you three say is going to stop me! Voldemort killed my parents, remember?"

"You're right, Harry," said Hermione in a small voice.

"I'll use the invisibility cloak," said Harry. "It's just lucky I got it back."

"But will it cover all four of us?" Ron asked.

"All- all _four _of us?"

"Oh, come off it, you don't think we'd let you go alone?"

"Of course not," said Hermione quickly. "How do you think you'd get to the Stone without us? I'd better go and look through my books, there might be something useful…"

"We're sticking with you, Harry, every step of the way," I said.

"But if we get caught, you three will be expelled too," Harry pointed out.

"Not if I can help it," said Hermione. "Flitwick told me in secret that I got a hundred and twelve percent on his exam. They're not throwing me out after that."

That night after all the other Gryffindor students had gone to bed, Ron said, "Better get the cloak," after Lee Jordan finally got up and walked away. So Harry ran upstairs and came back with the cloak.

"We'd better put the cloak on here, and make sure it covers all four of us," said Harry. "If Filch spots one of us on our feet wandering along on its own-"

"What are you doing?" said a voice from the corner of the room. Neville appeared from behind an armchair, clutching Trevor the toad.

"Nothing, Neville," said Harry as he and I hid the cloak behind our backs.

"You're going out again," Neville said frowning.

"No, no, no," said Hermione. "No, we're not. Why don't you go to bed, Neville?"

"You can't go out again," said Neville. "You'll be caught again. Gryffindor will be in even more trouble."

"You don't understand," said Harry. "This is important."

"I won't let you do it," said Neville, hurrying toward the portrait hall. "I'll- I'll fight you!"

"_Neville,"_ Ron said angrily. "Get away from that hole and don't be an _idiot-"_

"Don't you call me an idiot!" Neville snapped. "I don't think you should be breaking anymore rules! And you were the one who told me to stand up to people!"

"Yes, but not to _us,"_ said Ron rolling his eyes. "Neville, you don't know what you're doing." He took a step forward toward Neville, who dropped his toad, which leapt away.

"Go on then, try and hit me!" Neville said. "I'm ready!"

"_Do something,"_ Harry said desperately to Hermione.

Hermione stepped forward. "Neville," she said. "I'm really, really sorry about this." She raised her wand. _"Petrificus Totalus!"_ she cried. Neville's arms snapped to his sides. His legs sprang together. His whole body swayed where he stood and then fell flat on his face, stiff as a board.

"What've you done to him?" Harry asked as Hermione ran over to Neville to turn him on his back. Ron and I stood there in shock.

"It's the full Body-Bind," Hermione explained miserably. "Oh, Neville, I'm so sorry."

"We had to, Neville, no time to explain," said Harry.

"You'll understand later, Neville," said Ron.

We quickly stepped over him and pulled on the invisibility cloak. When we got to the first set of stairs we saw Mrs. Norris, Filch's cat. "Oh, let's kick her just this once," Ron whispered. I slapped him on the arm.

"You sicko!" I scolded him. "Who wants to kick an animal?"

"It's just _Mrs. Norris,"_ Ron pointed out, rubbing his arm. We climbed carefully past the cat and got down to the staircase on the third floor. Peeves was messing with the carpets, so someone might trip.

"Who's there?" he asked suddenly as we passed him. "Know you're there, even if I can't see you. Are you ghoulie or ghostie or wee student beastie?" He rose up in the air and squinted at us. "Should call Filch, I should, if something's a-creeping around unseen."

"Peeves," Harry said in a hoarse whisper. "The Bloody Baron has his own reasons for being invisible."

Peeves almost fell out of the air in shock. He caught himself in time and started off. "So sorry, your bloodiness, Mr. Baron, sir," he said. "My mistake, my mistake- I didn't see you- of course I didn't, you're invisible- forgive old Peevsie for his little joke, sir."

"I have business here, Peeves," said Harry. "Stay away from this place tonight."

"I will, sir, I most certainly will. Hope your business goes well, Baron, I will not bother you." And with that, he disappeared.

"That was _amazing,"_ I said happily, patting Harry on the back.

"_Brilliant,_ Harry!" Ron added.

A few seconds later we were outside the third-floor corridor- and the door was already ajar. "Well, there you are," Harry said quietly. "Snape's already gotten past Fluffy. If you three want to go back, I don't blame you. You can take the cloak. I won't need it now."

"Don't be stupid," said Ron.

"We're staying together," I said.

"We're coming," said Hermione. Harry pushed the door open. As the door creaked, low, rumbling growls met our ears. All three of the dog's noses sniffed madly in our direction, even though it couldn't see us. "What's at its feet?" Hermione whispered.

"Looks like a harp," said Ron. "Snape must have left it there."

"It must wake up the moment you stop playing," said Harry. "Well, here goes…" He put Hagrid's flute to his lips and blew. It wasn't really a tune, but from the first note the beast's eyes began to droop. It slumped to the ground and fell asleep.

"Keep playing," Ron warned Harry. They slipped out of the cloak and crept toward the trapdoor. "I think we'll be able to pull the door open. Want to go first, Hermione?"

"No, I don't!" Hermione snapped.

"Fine," Ron said making a face. "Carly, how 'bout you? Ladies first, like they always say."

I smirked. "In that case, you'd better go first, Ron," I said, giving him a little push. He frowned at me.

"What's _that_ supposed to mean?" he wanted to know. "Alright." He gritted his teeth and stepped carefully over the dog's legs. He bent and pulled the ring off the trapdoor, which swung up and open.

"What can you see?" Hermione asked anxiously.

"Nothing," said Ron. "Just black- there's no way of climbing down; we'll just have to jump." Harry waved at Ron, trying to get his attention, while still playing the flute. He pointed to himself. "You want to go first?" Ron asked him. "Are you sure? I don't know how deep this thing goes. Give the flute to Hermione so she can keep him asleep."

Harry handed the flute to Hermione, who immediately played it.

Harry climbed over the dog and lowered himself through the hole until he was handing by his fingertips. Then he looked up and said, "If anything happens to me, don't follow. Go straight to the owlery and send Hedwig to Dumbledore, right?"

"Right," said Ron and I at the same time.

"See you in a minute, I hope…" And he let go. I wanted to scream when I couldn't see him anymore, but Ron grabbed my hand and squeezed it, letting me know it was okay. "It's okay!" Harry's voice suddenly called up to us. "It's a soft landing, you can jump!"

"I'll go next," I told Ron. I wanted to get this over with. He smiled kindly and nodded. I climbed over the dog and closed my eyes. I took a deep breath. It took me a moment before I let go of the trapdoor. I never liked high heights, especially when you had to _drop_ from them. But I let go, and soon it was over. I landed near Harry. Next Ron landed between us.

"What's this stuff?" were his first words.

"Dunno, it's some sort of plant thing," Harry said. "I suppose it's here to break the fall. Come on, Hermione!"

The distant music stopped. There was a loud bark from the dog, but Hermione had already jumped. She landed on Harry's other side. "We must be miles under the school."

"Lucky this plant thing's here, really," said Ron.

_"Lucky!"_ shrieked Hermione. "Look at the three of you!"

I looked down and gasped. The plant had started to twist snakelike vines around my ankles! I struggled to get free, but couldn't. Hermione was the only one who was able to free herself right away. My heart pounded loudly and sweat trickled down my back. I squirmed to get free.

"Stop moving!" Hermione ordered us. "I know what this is! It's- it's Devil's Snare!"

"Oh, I'm so glad we know what it's called, that's a great help," snarled Ron, leaning back, trying to stop the plant from curling itself around his neck. It had already gotten that far on me. I just hoped it wasn't going to strangle me to death.

"Shut up, I'm trying to remember how to kill it!" said Hermione.

"Well, hurry up, I can't breathe!" Harry gasped.

"Devil's Snare, Devil's Snare… what did Professor Sprout say?- it likes the dark and the damp," Hermione said to herself.

"So light a fire!" Harry choked.

"Yes- of course- but there's no wood!" Hermione cried.

"HAVE YOU GONE MAD?" Ron bellowed. "ARE YOU A WITCH OR NOT?"

"Oh, right!" Hermione said, taking out her wand. She waved it, muttered something, and sent a jet of a blue flame toward the plant. I felt the plant loosen its grip and I was free. Ron and Harry were free too.

"Lucky you pay attention in Herbology, Hermione," said Harry.

"Yeah," said Ron. "And lucky Ron doesn't lose his head in a crisis- 'there's no wood', _honestly."_

"This way," said Harry, pointing down a stone passageway, which was the only way forward. We could hear water trickling down the walls. The passageway sloped downward.

"Can you hear something?" Ron whispered. A soft rustling and clinking seemed to be coming from up ahead.

"Do you think it's a ghost?" I asked.

"I don't know… sounds like wings to me," said Ron.

"There's a light ahead- I can see something moving," said Harry.

We reached the end of the passageway and saw a lit chamber, its ceiling high. It was full of jewel-bright birds, fluttering around the room.

On the opposite side of the chamber was a wooden door. "Do you think they'll attack us if we cross the room?" Ron asked.

"Probably," said Harry. "They don't look very vicious, but I suppose if they swooped down at once… well, there's no other choice… I'll run." He took a deep breath, covered his face with his arms, and sprinted across the room. He reached the door and pulled the handle, but it was locked.

Ron, Hermione, and I ran after him. We all pulled and tugged at the door, but it wouldn't budge, even after Hermione tried several spells on it. "Now what?" Ron asked.

"These birds…" said Hermione. "They can't be here just for decoration." We watched the birds overhead. They were _glittering!_

"They're not birds!" said Harry. "They're keys! Winged keys- look carefully. So that must mean…" He looked around the chamber while we squinted up at the flock of keys. "…Yes- look! Broomsticks! We've got to catch the key to the door!"

"But there are _hundreds_ of them!" I pointed out.

Ron examined the lock on the door. "We're looking for a big, old-fashioned one- probably silver, like the handle." We each grabbed a broomstick and kicked off into the air, soaring into the midst of the keys. I felt nervous. I hadn't tried flying since flying lessons, since I'd never been too good at it. Ron flew a little below me, ready to catch me if I fell. We grabbed and snatched at keys, but they were almost impossible to catch.

"That one!" Harry called to us. "That big one- there- no, there- with bright blue wings- the feathers are all crumpled on one side." Ron went speeding in the direction of that one, but crashed into the ceiling and nearly fell off his broom. "We've got to close in on it!" Harry called. "Ron, you come at it from above, Hermione, stay below and stop it from going on- Carly, go to its right- and I'll go to its left and try and catch it. NOW!"

The bird dodged Ron, Hermione, and I, and Harry sped after it. He leaned forward and pinned it against the wall with one hand! I sighed with relief. Ron and Hermione cheered. We landed quickly. I almost fell off the broom before I landed, but Ron grabbed me before I hit the ground. "There you go," he said. I smiled away. He quickly let go of me and flushed red.

Harry ran to the door, the key struggling in his hand. He rammed it into the lock and turned- it worked. The moment the lock had clicked open, the key took flight again, looking very battered. "Ready?" Harry asked us, his hand on the handle. We nodded. He pulled the door open.

The next chamber was so dark we couldn't see anything at all. But as we stepped into it, the lights went on and we were standing on the edge of a huge chessboard, behind the black chessmen, which were extremely tall. Facing us, across the chamber were the black pieces. "Now what do we do?" Harry whispered. I'd been wondering the same thing.

"It's obvious, isn't it?" said Ron. "We've got to play our way across the room." Behind the white pieces was a door. I gulped. I'd never learned how to play chess before. I guess I'd never cared enough to learn.

"How?" said Hermione nervously.

"I think," said Ron, "We're going to have to be chessman."

He walked up to a black knight and put his hand out to touch the knight's horse. At once, the stone sprang to life. The horse pawed the ground and the knight turned his helmeted head to look down at Ron. "Do we- er- have to join you to get across?" The black knight nodded. Ron turned to us. "This needs thinking about… I suppose we've got to take the place of four of the black pieces… Now don't be offended or anything, but Harry and Hermione, neither of you are that good at chess, and I'm sure you, Carly, have never even played before-"

"We're not offended," said Harry. "Just tell us what to do."

"Well, Harry," Ron began. "You take the place of that bishop, and Hermione, you go next to him instead of that castle."

"What about you and Carly?" Hermione wanted to know.

"I'm going to be a knight," Ron said bravely. "Carly, just wait."

The chessmen seemed to have been listening, because at these words a knight, a bishop, and a castle turned their backs on the white pieces and walked off the board, leaving three empty squares that we took.

"White always plays first in chess," said Ron, peering across the board. "Yes… look…" A white pawn had moved forward two squares. Ron started to direct the black pieces. He told Harry to move four squares diagonally to the right. I just waited nervously for further direction.

"Had to let that happen," Ron said when the white queen smashed their other knight down to the ground and dragged him off. Then he turned to me. "Carly, feel free to take his place."

I slowly walked over to where the knight'd been and took his place.

Every time one of our men was lost, the white pieces showed no mercy. A bunch of our players were slumped against the wall. Harry, Hermione, and I had been in danger several times, but he'd stopped us from getting hurt. "We're nearly there," he muttered suddenly. "Let me think- let me think…" The white queen turned her blank face toward him. "Yes…" said Ron softly. "It's the only way… I've got to be taken."

"NO!" Harry, Hermione, and I all shouted at once.

"That's chess!" Ron snapped. "You've got to make some sacrifices! I take one step forward and she'll take me- that leaves you free to checkmate the king, Harry!"

"But-"

"Do you want to stop Snape or not?"

"Ron-"

"Look, if you don't hurry up, he'll already have the Stone! Ready?" Ron called, his face looking pale but determined. "Here I go- now, don't hang around once you've won."

He stepped forward, and the white queen pounced. She struck Ron across the face with her stone arm, and he crashed to the floor. Hermione and I both screamed, but we stayed on our squares. The white queen dragged Ron to one side. He looked as if he'd been knocked out. Shaking, Harry moved three spaces to the left.

The white king took off his crown and threw it at Harry's feet. We had won. The chessmen parted and bowed, leaving the door ahead clear. We looked back once more at Ron, and then charged through the door and up the next passageway.

"What if he's-" I began, still worried about Ron.

"He'll be alright," Harry assured me. "What do you reckon's next?"

"We've had Sprout's, that was the Devil's Snare," Hermione began. Flitwick must have put charms on the keys; McGonagall transfigured the chessmen to make them alive; that leaves Quirrell's spell and Snape's…"

We'd reached another door. "Alright?" Harry whispered.

"Go on," Hermione said. Harry pushed it open.

A disgusting smell filled the air, making us pull our robes up over our noses. My eyes started watering. We saw, flat on the floor in front of us, a troll out cold with a bloody lump on its head! _"EW!"_ I shouted.

_"Shh!"_ both Harry and Hermione snapped at me. "I'm glad we didn't have to fight that one," Harry whispered to Hermione. "Come on, I can't breathe." He pulled open the next door. We didn't want to see what was next. But there was nothing very frightening in here, just a table with seven differently shaped bottles standing on it in a line. "Snape's," said Harry. "What do we have to do?"

We stepped toward them, and a fire suddenly sprang up behind us. It was purple fire! At the same instant, black flames shot up in the doorway ahead of us! We were trapped. "Look!" Hermione cried, seizing a roll of paper lying next to the bottles. We went over to it to read it.

_Danger lies before you, while safety lies behind, _

_Two of us will help you, whichever you would find,_

_One among us seven will let you move ahead,_

_Another will transport the drinker back inside,_

_Two among our number hold only nettle wine, _

_Three of us are killers, waiting hidden in line._

_Choose, unless you wish to stay here forevermore,_

_To help you in your choice, we give these clues four:_

_First, however slyly the potion tries to hide_

_You will always find some on nettle wine's left side;_

_Second, different are those who stand at either end,_

_But if you would move onward, neither is your friend;_

_Third, as you see clearly, all are different size, _

_Neither dwarf nor giant holds death in their insides;_

_Fourth, the second left and the second on the right_

_Are twins once you taste them, though different at first sight._

Hermione let out a great sigh. She was smiling for some reason. _"Brilliant,"_ she said. "This isn't magic- it's logic- a puzzle. A lot of the greatest wizards haven't got an ounce of logic; they'd be stuck in here forever."

"But so will we, won't we?" I asked.

"Of course not," said Hermione. "Everything we need is here on this paper. Seven bottles: three are poison, two are wine, one will get us safely through the black fire, and one will get us back through the purple."

"But how do we know which to drink?" I wanted to know.

"Give me a minute," Hermione said, rereading the paper several times. Then she walked up and down the line of bottles, muttering to herself and pointing to them. She clapped her hands. "Got it," she said. "The smallest bottle will get us through the black fire- toward the stone."

"There's only enough there for one of us," said Harry. "That's only one swallow." We all just looked at each other. I had no idea what was going on. "Which one will get you back through the purple flames?"

Hermione pointed to a rounded bottle at the right end of the line. "There's less inside _this_ one than the _other_ one. I'm going to have to take this one, and, Harry, you must take the other. All the others are killers, or just plain old wine. Those won't get us anywhere."

"Oh, great, that's just great, Hermione," said Harry, seeming a bit stressed out over something. "We just have a teensy problem: there's two of the potions and _three_ of _us."_

"Oh, goodness," Hermione said after a pause. "I didn't even think about _that."_ She walked in circles, deep in thought. "Carly, you and Harry are going to have to share the one that gets you through the black flames. If you take as small possible of a sip, there'll be enough for both of you."

"Alright," Harry said nodding. "You drink the one that gets you through the purple, and go back and get Ron. Grab brooms from the flying-key room. They'll get you to the trapdoor and past Fluffy- go straight to the owlery and send Hagrid to Dumbledore, we need him. Carly and I might be able to hold Snape off for a while, but we're no match for him, really."

"But Harry, what if You-Know-Who's with him?" Hermione asked.

"Well- I was lucky once, wasn't I?" said Harry, pointing at his scar. "I might get lucky again." Hermione's lip trembled, and she suddenly threw her arms around Harry, giving him a huge hug. _"Hermione!"_ he gasped.

"Harry- you're a great wizard, you know," she said.

"I'm not as good as you," said Harry. His cheeks flushed pink as Hermione let go of him.

"Me!" said Hermione. "Books! And cleverness! There are more important things- friendship and bravery and- oh Harry- be _careful!" _

"Girl, you don't think _that's_ enough?" I asked in shock. "Books and cleverness? Man, I would be _complete_ if _I_ had any of _that."_

There was a long pause. Harry and Hermione both started laughing. But it wasn't _at_ me. It was _with_ me. And then just then I burst into laughter too. It was such a happy moment. We were all together, and we were happy together. With the circumstances that we were having at the moment, I wasn't sure whether we'd have another moment like this again. Hermione walked up to me and threw her arms around me.

"You be careful _too,_ Carly," she said warmly. "Cause remember: you're not the brightest light bulb in the tool box. But I'm only saying that because I'm your best friend and I can get away with it."

"Haha, that's okay," I said. "You're right. You've always been right."

"You both be careful," Hermione said one last time.

"You drink first," Harry told her. "You are sure which is which, aren't you?"

"Positive," said Hermione. She took a sip from the bottle at the end and shuddered.

"It's not poison?" Harry asked anxiously.

"No," Hermione assured him. "But it's like ice."

"Quick, go before it wears off," I told her.

"Good luck," Hermione said, starting off. "Take care."

"GO!" we told her.

"Oh, alright," she said. She turned around and walked straight through the purple fire.

Harry took the smallest bottle and squinted nervously at it. "I don't know how we're going to divide this…?" he said. Then he opened it and took the smallest sip possible. "You drink what's left of it," he told me.

I took it from him, and took the last sip. "I'm ready," I told him.

"Good," he said smiling. We turned around to face the black flames. We both reached for each other's hand at the same time. "So, you're really ready?" he asked me.

"Yes, I'm ready," I said taking a deep breath.

"Alright, then…" Harry said, squeezing tighter. "Here we come."

We closed our eyes and walked into the fire. It felt as though ice was flooding through my body. I could feel the fire touching me, but I didn't feel any pain. Suddenly we were on the other side. In front of us was a door. It was a big door. I couldn't believe it was going to be this simple now to get through the door. This was it… this could be the end…

Harry put his hand on the doorknob and took a deep breath.


	14. The Man With Two Faces

183

The Man With Two Faces

Chapter 14

* * *

Then he turned the doorknob and we were inside the next chamber. There was a small staircase. A small staircase was something I could handle. We walked down it, and then there was a corner to turn. We could hear soft chatter. We'd see Snape right when we rounded the corner. Harry put his hand on my back. We were in this together. By now I was really starting to feel like we had a real friendship going. I took a deep breath.

But when we turned the corner we saw that it _wasn't_ Snape there.

I gasped, but then Harry covered my mouth with his hand. He pulled me back behind the corner. "Shh," he told me. "It's okay," he said. "You wait here." He was trying to be brave, but I could tell he was afraid. "I thought that if it was Snape, we could both take him on together," he continued. "But it's not, so I want you _stay here._ Just stay here."

Harry gave me a stern look and then slowly passed the corner.

"Evening, Potter," Professor Quirrell said in an evil tone of voice.

"So it's _you,"_ Harry said in response.

"So you brought a friend along," Quirrell said. He wasn't even stuttering! "I heard her. Just a moment ago. It's Miss Perry, isn't it? But you're hiding her like a real gentleman, aren't you, Potter? Bring her out. Let's see just how long she lasts once I get a hold of her."

"You're not going to _touch _Carly," Harry growled at him.

Quirrell chuckled wickedly. My heart was pounding. He knew I was there. I slumped down against the wall that was covering me.

"Never mind her, then," Quirrell said. "I wondered whether I'd be meeting you here, Potter."

"But…" Harry said, his voice sounding shocked. "I thought Snape-"

"Severus?" Quirrell interrupted with a cold, sharp laugh. "Yes, Severus does seem the type, doesn't he? So useful to have him swooping around like an over-grown bat. Next to him, who would suspect p-p-poor, st-stuttering, P-Professor Quirrell? I knew all along that you and your little friends had fallen for my trap- you with all your warm smiles, and Perry with all her flattery. And you despised Snape right from the start."

"But Snape tried to kill me!" Harry shouted.

"No, no, no. _I_ tried to kill you. Your friend Miss Granger accidentally knocked me over as she rushed to set fire to Snape at the Quidditch match. She broke my eye contact with you. Another few seconds and I'd have got you off that broom. I'd have managed to do it before then if Snape hadn't been muttering a countercurse, trying to save you," Quirrell said.

So many thoughts were racing through my brain. It all actually started to make sense now! I wanted revenge… I wanted to jump out from behind this wall and take Quirrell, myself. But Harry didn't want that.

"Snape was trying to _save_ me?" Harry asked.

"Of course," said Quirrell coolly. "Why do you think he wanted to referee your next match? He was trying to make sure I didn't do it again. Funny, really… he needn't have bothered. I couldn't do anything with Dumbledore watching. All the other teachers thought Snape was trying to stop Gryffindor from winning, he _did_ make himself unpopular… and what a waste of time, when after all that, I'm going to kill you tonight."

He snapped his fingers and then I heard a loud noise. I peered past the wall and saw that ropes had sprang out of thin air and had wrapped themselves around Harry! Apparently Quirrell had seen me looking.

"Don't just stand there, Miss Perry," Quirrell called, just as I hid right behind the wall again. "You're missing out on all the fun. Come and join the party."

"Harry," I sobbed loudly, not caring whether Quirrell heard me or not. He already knew I was there, so what was the point anymore?

"It's alright, Carly," Harry said struggling to break free from the ropes. "No matter what happens to me, you stay behind that wall."

My heart was pounding fast. I wanted so bad to kill Quirrell, even though the thought of coming out from behind the wall and confronting him scared me to death. But I wanted to save Harry. But he didn't want me to come out, and I wanted to listen to his orders.

I heard the sound of Quirrell's footsteps getting closer to Harry, and therefore, closer to _me_. "My, my, I must say. You're quite the ladies' man, Potter," he said in a teasing voice. "This young lady here is practically willing to risk life and death for you." I could tell he was staring right at the wall I was hiding behind.

"You don't _think_ about her," Harry snapped at him. "Just tell me: why did you want to kill me?"

"You're too nosy to live, Potter," Quirrell explained. "Scurrying around the school on Halloween like that, for all I knew you'd see me coming to look at what was guarding the Stone."

_"You_ let the troll in?!" Harry growled at him.

"Certainly," said Quirrell. "I have a special gift with trolls- you must have seen what I did to the one in the chamber back there? Unfortunately, while everybody else was running around looking for it, Snape, who already suspected me, went straight to the third floor to head me off- and not only did my troll fail to beat you to death, that three-headed dog didn't even manage to bite Snape's leg off properly."

"You _creep!"_ I shouted, finally coming out from behind the wall. I stood there in clear view for Quirrell. "How _dare_ you have done all these things to the school! Dumbledore's going to find out about this."

"Carly," Harry said weakly. "Carly, why did you…?"

"No, no, no, that's alright, Potter," Quirrell chuckled calmly, with his hands together behind his back. "She has every right to be mad, especially since she's going to die tonight. Now, wait quietly, children, I need to examine this interesting mirror."

Then Quirrell turned around and looked into an elegant mirror.

"This mirror is the key to finding the Stone," he murmured, tapping his way around the frame. "Trust Dumbledore to come up with something like this… but he's in London… I'll be faraway by the time he gets back."

I turned around and saw the door behind me. There was no leaving. I hadn't taken a drink from the potion that gets you through the purple fire. And how could I leave Harry here? Quirrell hadn't even tried to trap me, or block the doorway, because he _knew_ I would stay here with Harry.

"I saw you and Snape in the forest-" Harry said suddenly.

"Yes," said Quirrell idly, walking around the mirror to look at the back. "He was onto me by that time, trying to find out how far I'd got. He suspected me all along. Tried to frighten me- as though he could, when I had Lord Voldemort on my side…"

He came back from behind the mirror and stared hungrily into it. "I see the Stone… I'm presenting it to my master… but where is it."

Harry struggled against the ropes binding him. I ran over to him and once and tried to take them off of him, but then one of them jumped off of him and grabbed _me!_ Now we were _both_ trapped. The two of us.

"But Snape always seemed to hate me so much," said Harry.

"Oh, he does," said Quirrell, casually. "Heavens, yes. _Both_ of you. He was at Hogwarts with both of your fathers, didn't you know? He hated Mr. Potter _and_ Mr. Perry with a passion, but he never wanted you _dead."_

"But I heard you a few days ago, sobbing," Harry said. "I thought Snape was threatening you."

Suddenly a spasm of fear fell across Quirrell's face. "Sometimes," he said. "I find it hard to follow my master's instructions- he is a great wizard and I am weak-"

"That's for damn sure," I interrupted.

_"Shh!"_ Harry snapped at me. Then he looked at Quirrell again. "You mean he was there in the classroom with you?"

"He is with me wherever I go," said Quirrell quietly. "I met him when I traveled around the world. A foolish young man I was them, full of ridiculous ideas about good and evil. Lord Voldemort showed me how wrong I was. There is no good and evil, there is only power, and those too weak to seek it… Since them, I have served him faithfully, although I have let him down many times. He has had to be very hard on me."

He shivered suddenly. "He does not forgive mistakes easily. When I failed to steal the Stone from Gringotts, he was most displeased. He punished me… decided he would have to keep a closer watch on me…" His voice trailed off. He cursed under his breath. "I don't understand… is the Stone _inside _the mirror? Should I break it?"

Harry suddenly tried to walk to his left, but the ropes held too tight to his ankles. He tripped and fell over. Quirrell ignored him. I quickly helped Harry back up to his feet. "What does this mirror do?" Quirrell asked. "How does it work? Help me, Master!"

Harry and I grew very quiet, as a voice answered. It was a terrible voice! It wasn't Quirrell's, but it still seemed to be coming from him!

"Use the boy…" the voice said. "Use the boy."

Quirrell turned around. "Yes- Potter- come here."

He clapped his hands once and the ropes fell off of Harry. Much to my surprise, they fell off of me _too_. "Come here," Quirrell said again to Harry. "Look in the mirror and tell me what you see." Quirrell stepped close behind Harry, like he was guarding him from me.

I stood there, still as a statue, my heart pounding loudly.

"Well?" said Quirrell impatiently. "What do you see?"

"I see myself shaking hands with Dumbledore," Harry said his voice shaking. "I- I've won the house cup for Gryffindor."

Quirrell cursed again. "Get out of the way," he said pushing Harry aside. Harry turned around and gave me a panicked look. I gave him a look of confusion back. He pointed anxiously at his pocket. I gasped. He'd gotten the Stone! The Stone was inside Harry's pocket. I kept quiet.

"He lies!" the terrible voice said again. "He lies!"

"Potter, come back here," Quirrell said as Harry started toward me. "Tell me the truth! What did you see?"

"Let me speak to him," the awful voice said. "Face-to-face…"

"Master, you are not strong enough!"

"I have strength enough… for this…"

Harry grabbed onto my upper arm and squeezed it hard. There was tons of fear in his eyes. His face was snow-white. He stared ahead at Quirrell, as the teacher began to remove the turban from his head. I stayed by Harry's side. After all, we were in this together. Suddenly Quirrell turned around and there was the most terrible face I'd ever seen on the back of his head. It was a chalk white face with glaring red eyes and slits for nostrils, like a snake. It looked just like the face I'd seen in that dream about me and Harry using our wands against Lord Voldemort.

"Harry Potter…" it whispered.

I then grabbed Harry's arm and tried to pull him backward, but he didn't budge. He wasn't moving. Was he even breathing? His face was blank and emotionless. I didn't know what he was thinking.

"See what I've become?" the face asked. "Mere shadow and vapor… I have form only when I can share another's body… but there have always been those willing to let me have their hearts and minds… Unicorn blood has strengthened me, these past weeks… you saw faithful Quirrell drinking it for me in the forest… and once I have the Elixir of Life, I will be able to create a body of my own… Now… why don't you give me that Stone in your pocket?"

"He'll never give it to you!" I shouted. Harry squeezed my arm tighter.

Voldemort's face chuckled airily. "You should stay out of this, girl," he said. "It won't do you much good to stand up to me. After all, I am the most powerful wizard in the world and you can't even turn a mouse into a snuffbox."

He continued laughing evilly as Harry nodded kindly at me. The face glared at us when he saw the kindness on Harry's face. "Now… _Potter!"_ Voldemort snapped. "Don't be a fool. Better save your own life and your little girl friend's life and join me… or you'll meet the same end as your parents… They died begging me for mercy."

"LIAR!" Harry shouted suddenly.

"How touching," Voldemort hissed. Quirrell was walking backward toward us, so that Voldemort could get a better look at us. "I always value bravery… Yes, boy, your parents were brave… I killed your father first, and he put up a courageous fight… but your mother needn't have died… she was trying to protect you… Now give me the Stone, unless you want her to have died in vain."

"NEVER!" Harry yelled. Harry grabbed me by the wrist and the two of us ran toward the chamber door.

"SEIZE HIM!" Voldemort screamed.

The next thing we knew, Quirrell had grabbed Harry by his other hand and held tight to his wrist! I screamed. Harry gave me a harsh shove toward the door. "Get the others!" he told me. "And get help!"

Then he yelped in pain. I could see the scar on his forehead was glowing! I couldn't leave Harry, even though he'd told me to get help. I just stood there, my eyes widened in shock. I'd never seen something so horrible. I wasn't going to leave him here. I would have to do something.

But suddenly Quirrell let go of Harry! I watched as Quirrell hunched over in a ball, looking at his hands, which were burning. He cried in pain. "Seize him! SEIZE HIM!" shrieked Voldemort again.

I put my arm around Harry's shoulders and helped him over to the door. But Quirrell had gotten up again, and lunged at Harry. While he lunged at him, he shoved me out of the way violently with his arm. I fell onto the ground, the back of my head banging onto the hard floor. I moaned and rubbed the back of my head in pain. I looked up and saw that Quirrell had both of his hands on Harry's neck. Harry's scar was so bright it almost blinded me to look at it!

"Master, I cannot hold him- my hands- my hands!" Quirrell yelled.

And then Quirrell got Harry onto the ground, pinning him down with his knees. Quirrell's hands were burned, raw, red, and shiny.

"Then kill him, fool, and be done!" screeched Voldemort.

I didn't know what to do as Quirrell lifted his hand to perform a deadly curse. Just then Harry reached up and grabbed Quirrell's face!

"AAAARGH!" Quirrell cried, rolling off of Harry, his face beginning to boil too. He could not touch his bare skin without suffering terrible pain. Harry jumped to his feet, caught Quirrell by the arm, and hung on tight.

"KILL HIM! KILL HIM!" Voldemort demanded.

"Harry! Harry!" I screamed.

Just then someone knelt down beside me and put their hand gently on my arm. I looked up and saw the face of Professor Dumbledore, smiling down at me. He winked at me. I felt happiness flow through me. I smiled brightly back up at Dumbledore. I knew Harry was going to be okay.

"Professor Snape," Dumbledore said then, over his shoulder. "Take Miss Carly back up to the castle. I'll stay here and finish the job."

I looked behind Dumbledore and saw Professor Snape standing there, with a grim expression on his face. "Yes, Professor," he said. I stood up and then ran up to Snape as Dumbledore walked over toward Harry.

"Professor Snape!" I said out of breath. "I'm so sorry! I can explain-"

"You can explain on the last day of school while you're finishing your exam, Miss Perry," Snape said, not using as harsh as a tone of voice as I'd heard him use before. "Now let's get out of here before things get ugly."

I nodded eagerly. Never before had I been so happy to go somewhere with Professor Snape. I followed closely behind him as he opened the chamber door and he put out the black and purple fire with his wand.

"I have so much to tell you, Professor Snape," I said as we walked through the room with the giant chessboard.

"Save it for later, Miss Perry," he said in response.

_Save it for later?_ Ugh! I was here with him _right now,_ and there was still a ways away until we got back up to the castle. I had so much to tell him, and he was going to make me wait. Let's face it: Snape was a pretty disappointing guy, but he was also a pretty _cool_ guy.

So I had to hold everything in that I wanted to say for the rest of the way back up to the castle. Snape made one of the Devil's Snare plants start growing with his wand, and he then told me to get on with him. We got onto the plant and it brought us up to the trapdoor from the third-floor corridor in the castle. Fluffy wasn't anywhere in sight. He'd been put away.

When we were out of the third-floor corridor, Snape said, "You'd best get to Gryffindor tower right away. Your friends are rather worried about you, and Filch will write you up another detention if he finds you about."

"Thank you so much for everything, Professor," I said shaking my head with disbelief at how amazing this guy was. "It should have been _you _I've was flattering all along- with how you've been standing up to Quirrell-"

"These things don't have to be discussed, Miss Perry," he interrupted.

"Good night, Professor Snape," I said smiling kindly.

"Good night, Miss Perry," he replied, not getting rid of that frown.

I smiled one last time and then hurried off. I hurried up the staircase and got to Gryffindor tower. I arrived at the Fat Lady portrait. "Pig snout," I told her. The portrait swung open, and I got inside the common room.

Hermione and Ron both grabbed me! I was apart of a big hug now. I hugged both of them back for a long time. I just held onto them. I wanted to cry. I wanted to tell them everything. "You guys…" I said faintly.

"Oh, Carly, it must have been _awful!"_ Hermione cried. "I feel so _embarrassed_ right now. I mean, who would have thought it was _Quirrell_ behind this the whole time and not _Snape?_ I should have figured it out, _myself._ Why couldn't I have seen it for myself?"

"What happened down there?" Ron asked me curiously.

"You guys, it _was_ awful," I said attempting to wipe a tear off of my bright red face. "I saw Voldemort and everything! I was so scared!"

Their eyes widened and they turned pale when I said this.

"You mean to say… you actually saw _You-Know-Who?"_ Ron asked.

"Yes, and it was terrifying," I said.

"Did he try to hurt you?" Hermione asked.

"Well, not really," I said. "But he tried to kill Harry- well, actually _Quirrell _tried to kill Harry. But then Dumbledore came to Harry's rescue, and Snape brought me back to the castle."

"Yeah, we know," said Ron with a smile.

"Dumbledore's bringing Harry up to Madam Pomfrey's," Hermione explained. "He'll be staying there a couple days until he recovers from this experience. He says _you_ don't have to though. He told us you seem to him like the 'kind of girl that bounces back easily'. You're fine with us."

The three of us laughed then, and it was another happy moment. We all hugged again. We felt safe and carefree then. We were all here, and we knew Harry was alright. Now we could finally relax for once.


	15. The End of the Beginning

197

The End of the Beginning

Chapter 15

* * *

Three days later Madam Pomfrey let us into the hospital wing. _"Harry!"_ Hermione said, running to sit down at Harry's side.

"Oh, Harry, we were sure you were going to- Dumbledore was so worried-"

"Carly, Dumbledore told me you got out safely," Harry said. "How?"

"Professor Snape helped me," I explained. His eyes widened. I giggled. "We really owe him one, don't we? After all we've done to him."

"I'm sure everyone knows about our mistake by now," Harry sighed.

"The whole school's talking about it," said Ron. "Tell us everything Dumbledore told you."

So Harry told us, and Hermione screamed out loud.

"Wow," I said, unable to keep up with everything he'd just said.

"So the Stone's gone?" Ron asked. "Flamel's just going to _die?"_

"That's what I said," Harry agreed. "But Dumbledore thinks that- what was it? - 'to the well-organized man, death is but the next great adventure'."

"I always said he was off his rocker," Ron mumbled.

"So what happened to _you_ two?" Harry asked the two of them.

"Well, _I_ got off alright," said Hermione. "I brought Ron around- that took a while- and we were dashing up to the owlery to contact Dumbledore when we met him in the entrance hall- he already knew- he just said, 'Harry's gone after him, hasn't he?' and hurtled off to the third floor."

"D'you think he meant you to do it?" Ron asked. "Sending you your father's cloak and everything?"

"Well," Hermione exploded, "if he _did_- I mean to say- that's _horrible_- you could have been _killed."_

"No, it isn't," said Harry thoughtfully. "He's a funny man, Dumbledore. I think he sort of wanted to give me a chance. I think he knows more or less everything that goes on here, you know. I reckon he had a pretty good idea we were going to try, and instead of stopping us, he just taught us how to help. I don't think it was an accident he let me find out how the mirror worked. It's almost like he thought I had the right to face Voldemort if I could…"

"Yeah, Dumbledore's off his rocker, alright," said Ron proudly. "Listen, you've got to be up for the end-of-year feast tomorrow. The points are all in and Slytherin won, of course- you missed the last Quidditch match, but we were steamrollered by Ravenclaw without you- but the food'll be good."

"You've had nearly fifteen minutes, now OUT," Madam Pomfrey said firmly.

I groaned. Ron and Hermione talked so much I had been unable to get a word in this whole visit. As they got up and left I said quickly to Harry, "I have some things I have to talk to you about tomorrow."

"Okay," said Harry nodding and smiling kindly.

"OUT!" Madam Pomfrey snapped at me.

"Alright, alright. I'm going, I'm going," I assured her.

When Ron, Hermione, and I had left the hospital wing we saw Draco Malfoy in the hallway. He was just standing there as if he'd been waiting for us, with Crabbe and Goyle at either of his sides.

"Well, well, well, look who it is," he said with a big smirk on his face. "It's the little trouble makers of Hogwarts. Went on a big adventure, did we? Perry, tell me, what was it like? Seeing Voldemort?"

"Give it up, Malfoy," said Ron protectively. "It isn't like she's gonna tell you."

Draco laughed. "I don't think so. I know she'd do _anything_ for _me."_

"I guess you're just as daffy as your old man, then, if you think so," Ron said.

Draco scowled. "What do you mean by that?"

"Come on, Carly," said Hermione, grabbing me by the arm. "Let's head back to Gryffindor tower where those unworthy of speaking to us can't come near us."

"Yeah, say all you want," Draco said glaring at us as we passed him. "Maybe you won't feel so clever tomorrow when Slytherin gets rewarded with the house cup."

"He keeps acting as though you find him terribly fascinating, Carly," Ron pointed out on the way up to Gryffindor tower. "I'd say _he's_ the one into _you,_ the way he keeps following you around."

I shrugged. "Nah, I think he's just trying to bully me," I responded.

"I'm not so sure about that, Carly," Hermione said uneasily. "It may have started out that way, but you've made yourself extremely visible to Draco this year. Chances are, you finally did it, Carly. You caught him."

"Ew, what's _that_ supposed to mean?" I wanted to know.

"Pig snout," Ron and Hermione said at the same time, and the portrait swung open, so we walked into the common room.

All the Gryffindors were crowded around, discussing Harry. Several of them lunged at me and started asking a bunch of questions. They kept asking me about Quirrell and Voldemort.

"So he died?" they asked about Quirrell. "He's really dead?"

"Well, I'm not sure," I admitted. "Snape took me back to the castle before I could see whether Quirrell died or not, and Harry didn't tell me."

The question-askers all groaned and got back to their activities.

That evening in the girl's dormitories Hermione and I had to pass notes about everything we were thinking about, because Lavender and Parvati were trying to get some sleep. Hermione and I couldn't sleep. We were still so jumpy after our adventure and excited about tomorrow.

The next evening Ron, Hermione, and I walked with Neville to the Great Hall for the end-of-year feast. We sat down at the Gryffindor table, waiting for Harry to arrive. He was still up at Madam Pomfrey's.

"Check out the Slytherin table," Fred said with a sneer.

We turned around and did just that. The table had a green and silver table cloth spread upon it, and all the students were wearing their colors proudly. Draco was beaming and talking with all his fellow Slytherins. Then we looked over at the High Table, which had a giant banner of the serpent behind it. The whole room made me sick.

"It's pitiful, I tell you," George said. "How great they think they are."

When Harry entered the room there was a sudden hush. My heart pounded fast. _Harry was here._ Then everyone started talking loudly again. Harry quickly slipped into a seat between Ron and Hermione at our table and tried to ignore the fact that people were standing up to look at him.

Dumbledore arrived moments later. The chatter died away.

"Another year gone!" Dumbledore said cheerfully. "And I must trouble with you an old man's wheezing waffle before we sink our teeth into our delicious feast. What a year it has been! Hopefully your heads are all a little fuller than they were… you have the whole summer ahead of you to get them nice and empty before next year stars… Now, as I understand it, the house cup here needs awarding, and the points stand thus: In fourth place, Gryffindor, with three hundred and twelve points; in third, Hufflepuff, with three hundred and fifty two; Ravenclaw has four hundred and twenty six and Slytherin, four hundred and seventy-two."

A storm of cheering and stamping broke out from the Slytherin table. Draco was banging the goblet on the table. It was a sickening sight.

"Yes, yes, well done, Slytherin," said Dumbledore. "However, recent events must be taken into account." The room went very still. "Ahem," said Dumbledore. "I have a few last-minutes points to dish out. Let me see. Yes… First- to Mr. Ronald Weasley for the best-played game of chess Hogwarts has seen in many years, I award Gryffindor with fifty points."

The Gryffindors all cheered and congratulated Ron, who had gone all purple in the face. "My brother, you know!" Percy was telling the other prefects. "My youngest brother! Got past McGonagall's giant chess set!"

"Second," said Dumbledore. "To Miss Hermione Granger… for the use of cool logic in the face of fire, I award Gryffindor house fifty points."

Hermione buried her face in her hands. I knew she was crying. All the Gryffindors continued cheering and congratulated Hermione. I pat her on the back. I knew she was enjoying this moment.

"Third," said Dumbledore. "To Miss Carly Perry. In the face of horrible danger, she stuck by her friend's side no matter what. I award Gryffindor house fifty points."

Now everyone was cheering for _me!_ I turned around and glanced back at the Slytherin table. Draco was glaring at me. He was holding a fork, which he had just broken in half out of anger. I smirked at him.

"Fourth," said Dumbledore. "To Mr. Harry Potter." The room went deadly quiet. "…For pure nerve and outstanding courage, I award Gryffindor house sixty points."

The applause was deafening. We had already beaten Slytherin!

Dumbledore raised his hand. The room fell silent.

"There are all kinds of courage," said Dumbledore, smiling. "It takes a great deal of bravery to stand up to our enemies, but just as much to stand up to our friends. Therefore, I award ten points to Mr. Neville Longbottom."

I covered my ears from the loud noise that erupted around me. I laughed and Hermione and I gave each other a big hug. Then I gave Ron a hug, and then Harry a hug. Then Harry nudged Ron in the ribs and pointed over at Draco, who was obviously fuming right now.

"Which means," Dumbledore called over the storm of applause. "We need a little change of decoration."

He clapped his hands. In an instant, the green hangings became scarlet and the silver became gold; the huge Slytherin serpent vanished and a towering Gryffindor lion took its place.

In the middle of a conversation I was having with Seamus and Dean, Snape walked over to the Gryffindor table and said, "Miss Perry, how about finishing that exam of yours?"

I grinned. "That sounds great, Professor," I said getting up.

Ron, Harry, Hermione, Neville, Seamus, Dean, Fred, and George all sat perfectly still while Snape was standing there. They watched him blankly. I stood up and followed Snape out of the Great Hall. It was kind've nice; getting away from all the noise. That, I was_ definitely_ doing, since I was alone in the hallway with the quietest man in Hogwarts.

We got down to the dungeons and Snape opened his classroom door for me. "The exam's sitting on my desk, waiting for you," he explained. "But don't take too long. I'll be packing up the room soon."

"Thank you, Professor," I said. I approached my paper on his desk and took it over to my seat. Snape sat down at his desk and waited for me to finish.

It really hadn't done me any good, coming back to finish the exam, because I knew I wasn't going to get these questions right, though I'd studied so hard. It almost might have been better if I had just left them blank. But I was here now, and there was no turning back.

I finished fifteen minutes later. I stood up and handed the exam to Snape. "Thank you, Miss Perry," he said nodding as he lowered his gaze to check over my answers.

"You said I could explain myself today," I reminded him.

He gave me a look. _"Yes,"_ he said cautiously.

"You know, we all thought it was _you_ who was after the Stone at first," I said hesitantly, guiltily.

"You don't have to tell me this, Miss Perry," Snape said. "You don't think I know what kind of gossip is spreading every day through these corridors?" He looked back down again to try checking my exam again.

"I just feel really bad cause we suspected you, and you've done so much to help the school," I said awkwardly.

Just then the look on his face lightened. He didn't smile, but his face still lightened just the same. _"Oh,"_ he said after a long moment's pause. I guess he didn't have much to say to that.

"I just wanted to let you know that you're doing your job really well, and I don't want for you to ever stop," I said using one of the lines I'd used with Quirrell back when I thought he had been protecting the Stone.

He was speechless again for another minute or two. I knew that if I had been any other student he would have given me a summer detention for being sarcastic with him, but I meant what I said. And I could tell he knew how genuine I was being at the moment.

"… Thank you… Miss Perry," he said after struggling a moment. I knew he probably hadn't said _thank you_ to anyone in years.

"And I just hope," I said. "That we can get along better next year."

He looked uncomfortable when I said that. _"Well…"_ he said.

"You don't have to answer that," I assured him. "I know it's not gonna happen. I was just saying."

I turned around and started toward the exit.

"Miss Perry?" Snape called after me.

"Yes, Professor?" I said turning around.

There was another long moment's pause. "… Have a good summer."

"You too, Professor Snape," I said. Then I left the dungeons.

When everyone else was asleep, Harry and I were awake in the common room. This was the only time I could get him alone to talk to him.

"So, we're finally alone to talk," Harry said with a smile. I laughed quietly. Both of us knew how long we'd been waiting for this moment. "What do you want to talk about?" Harry asked.

"First of all, I want to know," I began. "Did Quirrell die?"

"Yes, he did," Harry sighed. "And now Voldemort's on the loose."

My heart sank. "And he's still after you," I said, not even asking.

"Yes," Harry said. "I think so."

"For _months_ I've been trying to tell you something," I said reaching into my pocket and getting out the photo of us as babies. I showed it to him. Harry's eyes widened when I handed it to him, like he knew right away that it was us. "I have some information on your past," I said.

"Tell me," he said. I had his full attention.

"Apparently, your dad and my dad go _way_ back," I said, moving my hand backward as if to represent how far back our dads went. "They were both on Gryffindor, of course, like you already know, but what you _didn't _know, was that I was there on the night Voldemort killed your parents."

Harry looked surprised. "What do you mean?" he asked.

"My family and I were on our way over to your place to celebrate your birthday," I explained. "But we ran a little late. And we arrived only a few minutes after your parents were killed- only a few minutes after Voldemort disappeared. And my dad told Dumbledore what happened."

There was a long moment's pause. "So you were there," Harry said.

"Yes, I was there," I said.

"Do you remember anything?" Harry asked curiously. "Like hearing anything or seeing anything."

I sighed and shook my head. "No," I said. "But I _have_ been having a lot of dreams about us on missions together lately. And I think they all have to do with Voldemort. I even had these before the Quirrell incident."

"Do you think this means something?" Harry wanted to know.

"I think it means you and I are gonna be seeing a lot more of Voldemort," I said sadly.

Harry stared down at his lap for a while. He handed the picture back to me. "Thank you for sharing this with me, Carly," he said. "I enjoyed talking to you tonight."

"I'm so glad about the house cup," I said lightening up the mood.

"Me too," Harry agreed with a smile. "Good night."

"Good night," I said giving him a hug. Then I went off to bed.

We'd received our exam grades the next day as we returned on the little boats to the Hogwarts Express. Harry and Ron had both made some good grades. Hermione, of course had better grades than any other first year. Mine were alright, to my surprise, but they could have been better. Snape had given me five extra points on my Potions Exam, even though I'd done so poorly on it.

"Five extra credit points?" Ron said in shock when I handed him my paper. "Snape never gives five extra credit points- especially to a _Gryffindor."_

I was thinking maybe my compliments had something to do with it, though that hadn't been my goal.

"Well, Carly, I think you and Snape got off on the right foot," said Hermione with an amazed smile.

When we got back to King's Cross Station, Ron said, "You must come and stay this summer. All three of you- I'll send you an owl."

"Thanks," said Harry. "I'll need something to look forward to."

"Bye, Harry!" said one of the students passing us.

"See you, Potter!" said another one.

"Still famous," said Ron grinning at Harry.

"Not where I'm going, I promise you."

The four of us passed through the gateway together.

"There he is, Mom, there he is, look!" shouted a little girl with red hair, pointing to Harry. "Harry Potter!" she squealed. "Look, Mom, I can see-"

"Be quiet, Ginny, and it's rude to point." I was guessing this was Mrs. Weasley and that the little girl was Ron's little sister. They just looked too much like him not to be. She smiled at us. "Busy year?" she asked.

"Very," said Harry. "Thanks for the fudge and the sweater, Mrs. Weasley."

_Knew it. _

"Oh, it was nothing, dear," Mrs. Weasley assured him. She noticed Hermione and me. "And who are you two?" she asked smiling.

"Mum, this is Hermione Granger and Carly Perry," Ron explained.

"Hello, Mrs. Weasley," Hermione and I said at the same time.

"Hello," Mrs. Weasley replied. "So how did you like Hogwarts?"

"I liked it a lot," I said. "It was better than my elementary."

"Well, there is no school like Hogwarts," Mrs. Weasley agreed.

Then my dad came along. "Carly," he said in a happy tone of voice. We turned around to look at him. A grin spread across his face. "Harry Potter?" he asked. "Could it be?"

"Yes, Mr. Perry," Harry said. "It's me; Harry Potter, sir."

"I haven't seen you since you were a baby," Dad said. "Carly, did you show him the picture?"

"Yes, Dad," I said flushing red with embarrassment.

"Dad, you remember Hermione, right?" I said pointing to Hermione.

"Yes," Dad said. "How is your day, Hermione?"

"It's lovely," Hermione replied. "How's yours?"

"It's good," said Dad.

"And, Dad, this is my friend Ron Weasley," I said pointing to Ron. "And this is his mother, his sister Ginny, and his brothers Fred, George, and Percy."

"Good afternoon," Dad said to the Weasley's.

"Good afternoon," the Weasley's all replied cheerfully.

"Hey, do you have someplace to be?" Dad asked Harry.

"Sadly, sir," Harry said. "With my aunt and uncle. They're a misery to be around."

"Oh, then you can stay with us," Dad suggested. "If they wouldn't mind…"

"I would _love _to, sir," Harry said.

"Ready, are you?" asked an unpleasant voice.

We all turned around and saw a very large man with a purple face and a mustache. He was standing in front of an extremely tall, thin woman and a tubby boy. Neither of the adults looked too happy to see Harry. The boy didn't look too happy at first either, but then when he saw me, he grinned widely and winked. I immediately looked away at the ground.

"You must be Harry's family!" said Mrs. Weasley.

"In a matter of speaking," Uncle Vernon grunted.

"Hello, Mr. and Mrs. Dursley," Dad said cheerfully. "I'm Stanley Perry, an old friend of the Potter's. We used to know each other. Do you remember me?"

"Oh, _do_ I," the man replied with a cruel laugh. I could tell the Dursleys _did_ remember my dad, but that they didn't like him too much. "Hurry up, boy," Mr. Dursley said to Harry. "We haven't got all day."

"Alright, Uncle Vernon," Harry sighed. As he followed after them, he gave us all one last look. "See you over the summer then," he said.

"Hope you have- er- a good holiday," Hermione said, looking uncertainly after Uncle Vernon, obviously shocked that anyone could be so unpleasant.

"Oh, I will," said Harry, and we were surprised to see the grin spreading over his face. _"They_ don't know we're not allowed to use magic home. I'm going to have a lot of fun with Dudley all…"

"I'm Dudley, by the way," said the tubby boy stepping in front of me.

"Uh, hi," I said uncomfortably as he stepped closer.

"Dudley-kins! Come with Mommy!" Harry's Aunt Petunia called.

"Oh, how embarrassing," Dudley groaned rolling his eyes. "Well, anyway, seeya round."

"Yeah, you too," I said taking a step back.

Dudley winked one last time at me and then followed after his parents.

"That's… really disgusting," I muttered.

Harry rolled his eyes and followed after his relatives.

"Well, they seemed lovely," said Mrs. Weasley, obviously unsure of what else to say.

"I feel rather sorry for him, if you ask me," Ron said to me and Hermione.

"Yes, me too," Hermione agreed.

"Well, we should be going now," Dad said. "Good day to you, Mrs. Weasley."

"Good day to you, Mr. Perry," Mrs. Weasley said smiling kindly. "Good day to you, Carly."

"Bye, Mrs. Weasley," I called as we walked away. "Bye, all of ya! Call me over the summer!"

"We will!" they all called back.

"So, do you have some more stories for me?" Dad asked.

"Boy, _do_ I," I laughed.

* * *

Author's Note: Thank you to all of you that have favorited and reviewed on my story. I'm glad you enjoyed it. I know that it had a lot from the original story, but this whole thing was just fanmade, and not for any other purpose. The second one will kinda be like that too.

After the second one, the third one will be a little more original, and then the fourth one will be more original than that, the fifth one will have a lot of stuff I made up, and the sixth one too. Yep, I'm already typing the sixth one. I've been waiting for a long time to finally do the year of the Half Blood Prince!!!


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